Albert J. Dwoskin, a Fairfax County developer, has plans to build a gathering place for immigrant day laborers behind the Centreville Square Shopping Center.
Dwoskin says the site would discourage the migrant workers from collecting on nearby streets and in front of local businesses — a now common practice. The workers, many of whom are Guatemalan, often hang out near Centreville’s busiest business sectors in the hopes of finding construction and agriculture work.
But some Centreville residents fear the creation of a gathering site would attract immigrant workers from other areas and would lead to safety issues and more problems for local businesses.
The site would be privately funded and staffed by local volunteers.
The issue, first reported by the Washington Post, is scheduled for discussion tonight at 7 p.m. at a public town-hall-style meeting at Centre Ridge Elementary School.
