Counties will deny services to illegal immigrants; No access to parks, libraries, routine health care?

Ines Olivia Martinez wonders if her family will be denied medicalcare. Even her mentally disabled 13-year-old son has been anxiouslypointing out police cars amid fears of a local crackdown on illegalimmigrants.

Resolutions to deny a potentially wide range of public servicesto illegal immigrants have thrust northern Virginia's Prince Williamand Loudoun counties into the spotlight.

The new approach comes as some jurisdictions back off plans tocrack down on landlords and employers who knowingly rent to and hireillegal immigrants, following a federal court ruling last month thatstruck down a law in Hazleton, Pa.

That law would have imposed fines on landlords who rent toillegal immigrants and denied business permits to those who employthem. Hazleton on Thursday filed a notice of appeal in federalcourt, but it could take up to six months before the appeal isheard.

Critics say the northern Virginia measures, passed in July, are aracist reaction to demographic changes in Prince William andLoudoun, two of the fastest-growing counties in the Washington area.

'IT'S REACHED A BOILING POINT'

According to census estimates, Prince William's Hispanicpopulation has more than doubled since 2000. In Loudoun, the shareof minorities increased from 20 percent to 32 percent.

Proponents blame illegal immigrants for changing the character ofthe region, accusing them of packing too many people into homes andfailing to learn English.

"It's reached a boiling point -- or a boil-over point," saidSupervisor John T. Stirrup, who sponsored the Prince Williammeasure.

Martinez, a 41-year-old Mexico City native who has lived inPrince William County for two years, said the resentment againstillegal immigrants "broke my heart."

County officials are still studying which public services legallycan be withheld and how such restrictions could be implemented.

The resolutions say emergency medical care will not be denied,and federal restrictions already control many other services. TheSupreme Court has ruled that children who are illegal immigrantscan't be kept out of school, while food stamps are already offlimits to illegals.

The status of other services, such as health care for theuninsured, libraries and parks, are less clear-cut.

In protest, Hispanic activists are planning a weeklong boycott ofall non-immigrant, non-Hispanic businesses in Prince William Countybeginning Monday and a one-day general labor strike in October.