Virginia GOP Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli is working toward granting his state’s police officers powers similar to those Arizona's law allows to check immigration status. Va. AG wants immigration checks

Virginia GOP Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli is working toward granting his state’s police officers powers similar to those that Arizona's law allows to check immigration status.

Cuccinelli told Fox News’ Greta Van Susteren recently that he’d like Virginia police to be allowed to check the citizenship of anyone they stop or arrest, but that unlike Arizona, he would not require police to do so.


“We are not mandating to our law enforcement that they make these inquiries on every stop,” Cucinnelli said.

Still, Cuccinelli is pushing his state toward instituting a similar law to the one a federal judge blocked last week — finding that Arizona was usurping federal authority by enforcing immigration law.

In a legal opinion issued by his office Friday, Cuccinelli wrote, “It is my opinion that Virginia law enforcement officers, including conservation officers may, like Arizona police officers, inquire into the immigration status of persons stopped or arrested.”

“Virginia law enforcement officers have the authority to make the same inquiries as those contemplated by the new Arizona law,” Cuccinelli wrote. “So long as the officers have the requisite level of suspicion to believe that a violation of the law has occurred, the officers may detain and briefly question a person they suspect has committed a federal crime.”