ICE Makes Arrests Outside VA Immigration Court, Prompting Scrutiny From Advocates

STERLING, VA — About 10 people were detained by federal agents outside an immigration court in Sterling Wednesday, prompting backlash from an immigrant advocacy group. The Loudoun County Sheriff's Office has also responded to backlash about Immigration and Customs Enforcement cooperation and enforcement affecting immigrants.

NBC4 first reported about 10 detainments of men from an immigration court, the Executive Office for Immigration Review building at 21400 Ridgetop Circle in Sterling. ICE confirmed in a statement that it arrested 10 people for immigration violations at the Sterling immigration court. The news station noted that most ICE officers were wearing masks.

Sofia Saiyed, a campaign coordinator with New Virginia Majority, told NBC4 there have been cases dismissed by ICE prosecutors that defendants were told they could appeal, but ICE would then detain the immigrants outside the courtroom.

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New Virginia Majority, a progressive organization that advocates for immigrants and more people of color, is holding a news conference Thursday to "demand unbiased treatment and due process rights for immigrant neighbors." The group criticized ICE for "kidnapping community members outside of courts" as well as the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office for its cooperation with ICE and "over-policing immigrant neighbors at traffic stops."

"Loudoun residents are witnessing the use of local and federal law enforcement to terrorize our communities rather than keep us safe," said Saiyed in a statement. "These practices undermine trust in government institutions at all levels and make people afraid to leave their homes."

The Loudoun County Sheriff's Office put out a new statement on Thursday clarifying how it cooperates with ICE and addressing claims of traffic enforcement targeting the Latino population.

Residents have raised concerns about a new agreement that the sheriff's office has made with ICE. According to the sheriff's office, the new agreement not yet in effect will give ICE extra time — 48 hours — to pick up undocumented immigrants upon release from custody at the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center on unrelated criminal charges. That's an increase from the 24 hours in the 287(g) agreement that the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office has offered ICE to pick up.

"Most costs are fixed at our ADC, regardless of the jail population, and the average cost of holding a detainee longer amounts to about $4.50 per day. Our agreement also provides that ICE will pay for any medical costs associated with that hold," the sheriff's office said in the statement.

Residents may have noticed increased traffic enforcement, particularly in eastern Loudoun County where there's a greater concentration of Latino residents. According to the sheriff's office, deputies focus traffic enforcement where violations have occurred, and eastern Loudoun has the most traffic.

The sheriff's office also said it makes arrests based on criminal activity, not immigration status, the latter of which is the focus of ICE.

"Vehicles are searched for one of three reasons: when there is probable cause related to potential criminal activity;  as part of an inventory following an arrest;  or following a request and consent," the sheriff's office said. "Our deputies never ask for a person’s immigration status, nor is that information available to them when they make a vehicle stop or arrest."

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