Arlington County, Virginia, Sheriff Beth Arthur said this week that her agency will "no longer" cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement regarding reporting and notifications of released undocumented detainees.
"The ACSO will no longer recognize any 'voluntary action' requests from ICE nor place the information in our records management system," Arthur wrote in Dec. 20 letters to La ColectiVa, Legal Aid Justice Center, and National Immigration Project of the National Lawyers Guild. "The sheriff's office will no longer contact ICE for any releases from our facility, to include felony charges."
The letter said the agency will follow Virginia State Code on illegal migrants and will "continue to honor" judicially signed warrants from ICE, treating that agency as "any other detainer."
"I listened to the concerns and impacts with an open mind, and I have also consulted with my attorney (as I told you I would), and carefully considered all the information that was given to me," Arthur's letter read.
"I am extremely passionate about my role as sheriff which includes ensuring the safety and security of the individuals in our custody as well as the citizens of Arlington County. I pride myself on making informed decisions that benefit the communities I represent, which has led me to making the changes noted above."
The coalition responded to the letter on Twitter, calling it a "major win."
"While there is more work to do to achieve all possible protections for people at risk of criminalization at the county level, this is a major win for Arlington County migrant communities," The Hill reported the coalition saying in a statement on Twitter. "We hope that this ongoing community effort will be a model for an 'Arlington way' where the people, particularly those who are most harmed by state violence in its different forms, are part of decision-making and leading changes toward truly just, safe, and strong communities."
Arlington County is the second in Virginia to stop its voluntary cooperation with ICE.
In May 2018, Fairfax County Sheriff Stacey Kincaid said her agency would stop detaining illegal migrants after their release date for processing by ICE.
"We intend to comply with all federal obligations as they pertain to ICE," she said in a statement at the time. "The current contract is not necessary for us to do this as evidenced by the fact that the vast majority of localities in the commonwealth have no contractual arrangement. We found it expedient to no longer have an agreement that required us to extend our resources beyond these obligations. We remain committed to our mission and mandate."
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.