Arlington, VIRGINIA – The Arlington County board is ending the Arlington County Police Department’s ability to cooperate with U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement, or ICE in local arrests.
Board members voted to eliminate Section 7 of the county’s “Trust Policy” previously, “Arlington’s Commitment to Strengthening Trust with Our Immigrant Communities.” Implemented in 2022, this section of the policy outlines when police can contact ICE, for instance, when an illegal immigrant or gang member has been arrested.
Police in Arlington already are prohibited from arresting a person who simply has a federal warrant due to immigration status.
The draft released from the county board meeting vote on Tuesday, May 13, shows Section 7 crossed out. It previously allowed police to contact ICE under three circumstances: if the person is here illegally and has been identified as a gang member who has committed a criminal gang offense; if an illegal immigrant has committed a violent felony and is considered a threat to the community; or if an illegal immigrant is arrested for human trafficking or a terrorist attack.
Immigrant-rights activists spent the past three years pressuring the board to eliminate Section 7. Amber Qureshi, who is a member of ‘La Collectiva’ and the ‘ICE out of Arlington Coalition,’ spoke at a May 10th board meeting ahead of the vote demanding Section 7 be removed.
“Today we are delivering to you a letter from over 35 organizations and petitions from 800 people demanding that you end all voluntary collaboration with ICE and expand protections for Arlington’s migrant community,” Qureshi said. “Since Arlington’s Trust Policy was passed in 2022 the community has sent you letters, petitions and showed up almost every month demanding an end to this collaboration between ACPD and ICE.”
Critics of the repeal complain that these policies are directed toward criminals and would greatly hamper the Arlington County Police Department’s ability to do its job. Audrey Clement, who is running for a county board seat as an independent candidate, mocked activists, saying they were trying to protect criminals.
“Open borders advocates are denouncing local elected officials for cooperating with ICE instead of the drug cartels,” Clement said. “Make no mistake, repeal of Section 7 will release criminal aliens… to continue their life of crime on Arlington streets.”
This comes at a time when President Donald Trump and Arlington County have been cracking down on illegal immigration. According to ICE, during Trump’s first 50 days in office the agency has made 32,809 enforcement arrests. In all of 2024, there were 33,242 arrests made. Half of the arrests since January, totaling over 14,000, were of previously convicted criminals. One-third have pending criminal charges, 1,155 were criminal gang members and 39 were known or suspected terrorists.
Arlington County Police collaborations with ICE are up 600% compared to 2024, according to the board.
“We have deported known terrorists, cartel members, and gang members from our country,” Secretary Kristi Noem said in a statement. “We will see the number of deportations continue to rise. And illegal immigrants have the option to self-deport and come back LEGALLY in the future. And our team at ICE will help us continue moving forward to make America SAFE again.”
Clement tried to reason with the immigrant rights groups by saying immigrants who are here legally have the most to lose.
“Repeal of Section 7 will endanger the legal immigrants who are the principal victims of undocumented migrants,” Clement said at the board meeting on May 10th. “Like open borders poster child Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who repeatedly beat his wife, a U.S. citizen, and boasted that he could kill her with impunity.”
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Clements words were met with moans and boos from those sitting in the crowd. Residents were seen holding signs saying “ICE fuera de Arlington” and “Support Aspire!”
County Board Chair Takis Karantonis previously bragged he was going to repeal Section 7, saying at a May 7 meeting, “We are about to remove section seven. Why? Because the federal government, right now, under no circumstances, is following the law. They’re infringing on the constitution of the United States. Basic things like the observance of due processes.”
The Washington Examiner has reached out to the Arlington County Police Department for comment on the repeal of Section 7.