MANASSAS, Va. -- The Prince William County Board of Supervisors voted late Tuesday to make a change to the county's controversial immigration policy.

Under a plan aimed to crack down on illegal immigration, police began checking the immigration status of people they stopped if the officers had reason to think the people may be in the country illegally.

Supervisors voted Tuesday that the immigration status of anyone who is arrested must be checked before the person gets a bond hearing. The checks will be done all the time, regardless of probable cause, Board Chairman Corey Stewart said. The check can be performed either by police or jail officers.

Supervisors said they hope broadening the law will help protect officers against allegations of racial profiling.

"This is a significant improvement, expansion and strengthening of our immigration crackdown," Stewart said.

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"In some ways it was broadened, and in some ways it made it a little easier on the police officers not to be forced to do certain things," said Supervisor W.S. Covington.

The vote came at about 10:30 p.m. after a public hearing for the county's proposed budget turned into a debate on immigration policies. Citizens spoke during more than five hours of debate.

"Some illegal immigrants are good people. Some of them are bad people," Covington said. "There's a criminal element that hides underneath of that. I think the criminal element is the main target of where we are."

The supervisors also had wanted to equip police vehicles with cameras so officers could have more protection against claims of racial profiling. The board voted down the $3.1 million plan on Tuesday.

Stewart said the new policy strengthens the county's immigration laws.

Property taxes in the county have been raised 5 percent, in part to cover the costs of the crackdown.

The county's stance on illegal immigration has sparked national controversy.