Arlington, Virginia, county board blocks police coordination with ICE in more cases
The County Board of Arlington, Virginia, voted this week to further restrict police cooperation with ICE in a move the state's attorney general said only benefits "illegal immigrants that have committed some of the most heinous acts, whether it's human trafficking or even acts of terrorism."
Sections of the Arlington County Trust Policy were removed to eliminate "instances in which ACPD can initiate contact with ICE regarding immigration enforcement," the county said on its website.
"Banning local police from alerting ICE, from terrorists, from MS-13 gang members, from human traffickers, that is not compassion. That's actually negligence," Arlington Attorney General Jason Miyares told Fox News after the vote.
"I want to be clear, this present policy does absolutely nothing to make Arlington safe. It makes it less safe. The only people that benefit from this are illegal immigrants that have committed some of the most heinous acts, whether it's human trafficking or even acts of terrorism. It does not protect the community, does not protect Arlington, does not protect Virginians."
A copy of the old Trust Policy, which the county said was first adopted in July 2022 to ensure residents can interact with the local government without fear of action by federal immigration authorities, outlined the instances in which the Arlington County Police Department could reach out to ICE.
It said ACPD could contact federal immigration authorities if someone was an "undocumented immigrant" who "has been identified as a gang member and is wanted or arrested for a violent felony or a criminal street gang offense," or if they were "arrested for a terrorism or human trafficking offense," according to a copy of the policy obtained by WJLA.
However, the updated policy no longer includes that language.
"To be clear, breaking the law is still breaking the law. This decision does not change that, and if a crime is committed, law enforcement will respond," Takis Karantonis, the chair of the Arlington County Board, said in a statement.
"The decision to remove Section 7 and related language comes in the wake of the federal administration's ongoing erosion of the constitutional right to due process, which every person has regardless of their status," he added. "The rhetoric and actions of this administration have led to tremendous stress and fear in our community, and we want to make sure all residents feel safe in engaging with local government, particularly with local law enforcement."
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin has come out against the vote, writing on X, "The Arlington County Board's latest action to prohibit Arlington Police from any cooperation with ICE, even regarding violent MS-13 gang members who are illegally here, is dereliction of duty and a betrayal of the oath they swore to protect their constituents.
"At what point did protecting violent illegal immigrants become more important than protecting your constituents?" he added. "The Virginia Homeland Security Task Force has been working in Arlington County, catching and arresting violent criminals, including MS-13 gang members. That will continue — unabated — in Arlington and around the Commonwealth."
Stephen Miller, White House deputy chief of staff for policy and Homeland Security advisor said, "The Democrat Party is fully radicalized against Americans."
When asked by Fox News Digital Friday for a reaction to the vote, DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said, "These sanctuary politicians are playing Russian roulette with American lives.
"While Arlington Country sanctuary politicians work to thwart ICE, DHS will continue arresting criminal illegal aliens and getting them out of our country. Radical sanctuary politicians need to put the safety of the American people first, not criminal illegal aliens. No American wants criminal illegal aliens loose on America's streets and neither should our leaders who represent them," she added.
"We find it extremely troubling that Arlington County leaders made the decision to prioritize politics ahead of public safety," ICE acting Director Todd M. Lyons said in a statement to Fox News. "Prohibiting local law enforcement from alerting federal authorities to the presence of an egregious hazard to their community only emboldens criminal offenders while putting people at risk."
The agency has made 17 arrests in Arlington County so far this fiscal year, and three of those arrested were confirmed MS-13 gang members.
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