Arlington Sheriff’s Office environment Ends Voluntary Cooperation With ICE

ARLINGTON, VA — The Arlington County Sheriff’s Office environment has agreed to conclusion its voluntary cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement following community groups urged the sheriff’s office environment and other Arlington officials to quit the follow.

In their marketing campaign, the neighborhood groups mentioned that the sheriff’s office’s voluntary cooperation with ICE had led to quite a few unjust detentions and deportations.

In a letter to the local community teams on Tuesday, Arlington County Sheriff Beth Arthur wrote that her workplace “will no extended speak to ICE for any releases from our facility,” such as felony expenses.

The sheriff’s office environment, which operates Arlington County’s detention centre, also will no lengthier acknowledge any “voluntary actions requests from ICE nor spot the info in its records administration program,” she explained.

La ColectiVA, the Countrywide Immigration Venture, and the Legal Help Justice Center had been calling for Arlington County officers to undertake insurance policies to conclusion collaboration with ICE.

“While there is far more get the job done to do to achieve all attainable protections for men and women at danger of criminalization at the county level, this is a main get for Arlington County migrant communities,” the groups reported in a statement Wednesday. “We hope that this ongoing local community work will be a product for an ‘Arlington way’ where the individuals, specially people who are most harmed by point out violence in its diverse varieties, are aspect of selection-generating and primary modifications toward really just, safe and potent communities.”

Arthur, who introduced very last thirty day period that she will not request re-election for sheriff in 2023, satisfied with customers of the teams on Dec. 2 to find out about the interactions among migrants and ICE and the impression on the migrants’ family members.

“I listened to the issues and impacts with an open up brain, and I have also consulted with my legal professional … and very carefully considered all the details that was offered to me,” Arthur wrote in the letter.

In July, the Arlington County Board accepted a coverage developed to improve the county government’s trust with the community’s immigrants. In the policy, the county dedicated to shielding the legal rights of all citizens, regardless of their immigration or citizenship status.

“We believe it is significant to strengthen neighborhood overall health, protection, welfare, and protection and construct rely on by making sure that immigrant residents can be certain of entry to County advantages and products and services devoid of dread that the details they share, or immigration standing (genuine or perceived) will be disclosed to federal immigration officers,” the believe in plan mentioned. “It is not an acceptable use of Arlington County means to interact in the enforcement of federal immigration law, which is the sole duty of the federal govt.”

In her letter on Thursday, Arthur famous that the sheriff’s business will continue to observe Virginia state regulation and submit any expected details to ICE and the Virginia Point out Payment Board. The Arlington sheriff’s office environment also “will keep on to honor any judicially signed warrants from ICE, which will be taken care of like any other detainer,” she stated.

“Thank you for the possibility to have open dialogue regarding our guidelines with ICE,” Arthur reported in the letter. “I am particularly passionate about my role as Sheriff which includes making sure the basic safety and safety of the people in our custody as well as the citizens of Arlington County.”