ARLINGTON, Va. (7News) — On Tuesday, the Arlington County Board voted to further restrict the Arlington Police Department’s (APD) cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and federal immigration officials.
Arlington County Board Members Takis Karantonis, Matt de Ferranti, Maureen Coffey, Susan Cunningham, and JD Spain voted to prohibit APD from initiating contact with federal immigration authorities when:
An immigrant in the U.S. illegally has been identified as a gang member and is wanted or arrested for a violent felony or a criminal street gang offenseAn immigrant in the U.S. illegally is arrested for a felony offense or is a confirmed gang memberAn immigrant in the U.S. illegally is arrested for a terrorism or human trafficking offense
The Arlington County Board unanimously voted in favor of the changes Tuesday night, claiming without providing data, that immigrant communities are reporting fewer crimes to APD.
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The Arlington County Board removed sections 7 and 8 from the county’s Trust Policy:
“We are not going to allow anymore that our law enforcement proactively contacts the federal government, the federal government immigration authorities, on any issue,” said Arlington Board Chair Takis Karantonis.
The Arlington Board members believe these changes will help immigrant communities trust local police more.
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“We have seen a significant decrease of trust of our especially of our immigrant community to contact local law enforcement when it was really necessary,” said Karantonis. “That means we have seen a decrease in safety in our own community.”
Before the policy change, Arlington police officers already had strict restrictions when working with ICE.
RELATED | ICE says Fairfax County and DC are rejecting detainers, releasing violent offenders
The county’s Trust Policy had already banned local police from requesting immigration status from people who reported crimes and sharing that type of information with federal immigration officials.
Some federal immigration officials believe the new changes will make Arlington a magnet for gang members, violent felons, human traffickers, and terrorists.
“We’ve seen this time and again throughout the nation,” said ICE ERO Washington Field Office Director Russell Hott. “Communities that do take this kind of approach end up being magnets for the individuals that are looking for refuge in spite of their criminal and illicit activity. Overall, that is something that puts the community members at risk.”
Hott said he believes Arlington County is a sanctuary jurisdiction for people in the U.S. illegally.
“I’m not a an elected official,” added Hott. “I’m a career law enforcement officer. I think the aim behind any trust policy or trust act is to promote a sense of safety and security amongst the community members. The irony behind that, though, is how safe are you making your community if you are releasing these folks, these individuals that have these terrible things behind them? I mean, it just doesn’t make sense to me.”
The Arlington County Sheriff already does not honor ICE immigration detainers even for violent offenders.
RELATED | ICE says Fairfax County and DC are rejecting detainers, releasing violent offenders
Despite no cooperation from the county, ICE and its law enforcement partners have been arresting people in the U.S. illegally who have committed crimes in Arlington. And ICE just conducted a surge across the river in Washington, D.C. that netted 189 people.
“And when you go down through the list of crimes from the individuals we arrested, you’re talking everything from homicide, robbery, kidnapping, it runs the full gamut,” said Hott.
Hott said Arlington’s new policy will have unintended consequences.
“In my view of the world, there is no victimless crime,” said Hott. “I do think this [Arlington’s Trust Policy and DC’s lack of cooperation with ICE] makes our communities less safe.”
Arlington Board released this statement to 7News Wednesday:
At its May 13 Recessed Board meeting, the Arlington County Board voted to remove section 7 and any associated language, from the County’s Trust Policy. This effectively eliminates the instances in which ACPD can initiate contact with ICE regarding immigration enforcement.
To be clear: breaking the law is still breaking the law. This decision does not change that, and if a crime is reported, law enforcement will respond.
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. 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.
The County continues to follow state and federal law, but neither requires us to have Section 7. The County has always held that immigration enforcement is the sole and exclusive responsibility of the federal government, and this decision remains consistent with that understanding.
Takis Karantonis, Chair
Arlington County Board
On Thursday, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin tweeted about this issue: “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. 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.”
On Thursday, 7News Reporter Nick Minock asked Karantonis how this new policy will make legal residents of Arlington County safer.
