Fairfax Co. leaders hopes to ease fear in immigrant community about deportation
Allies of President-elect Donald Trump labeled several Northern Virginia communities as sanctuary jurisdictions, including Fairfax County, where leaders and the immigrant community are preparing for the threat of mass deportation. In 2017 during President Trump’s first months as president, Northern Virginia was the scene of several Immigration and Customs Enforcement actions that led to public outcry. They included: Arrests outside a church hypothermia shelter, The deportation of a pastor who had no criminal record, And deportation of a mom of two with a traffic violation. Now, advocates are bracing for what the threat of mass deportation in a second Trump term might mean. “Our expectation for a second Trump administration is a supercharged Trump administration,” said Virginia CASA Director Luis Aguilar. “They obviously know what to do now. They know how to navigate government.” “What we expect is Trump is going to try to do as much as possible to harm the immigrant community,” he said. Fairfax County leaders hope their Trust Policy will help counter fear and anxiety provoked by the talk of mass deportation. Adopted in 2021, the Trust Policy makes clear immigration status is not a factor when it comes to county services. It’s a protection Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay is intent on making clear. “What I’m going to be continually reiterating to folks is that county employees are not federal immigration officials,” he said. “Immigration policy and enforcement has always been and must always be the role of the federal government.” McKay credits the policy with helping the county achieve the lowest crime rate for a jurisdiction its size, which he hopes future ICE activity won’t jeopardize. “If we don’t have communication with our community, we can’t solve crimes,” McKay said. “If we don’t have communication with all people in our community, victims of crimes will not come forward and report those, and that creates a public safety issue.” Fairfax County Public Schools also is mindful of what could be ahead and the concerns of immigrant parents. But Superintendent Michelle Reid said she’s focused on turning the temperature down for the welfare of the students. “We don’t know yet what could happen,” she said. “We know what is happening, and we guarantee to our families, our children our staff that our schools are safe spaces.” The Fairfax County School Board adopted its own Trust Policy in 2022, making it clear no information about FCPS families will be shared directly or indirectly with federal immigration officials. That policy is posted in locations throughout all FCPS schools. Trump administration Jan 11 Trump's plan for mass deportation could have a big effect on prices Immigration 5 hours ago How many people in the DMV could be affected by mass deportation? Reid said with the Trump inauguration just days away, she’s asked principals to provide a refresher to staff on the Trust Policy and what to do if ICE agents were to arrive at a school. “Currently, that policy says that if any immigration enforcement official were to come to school, the office is to contact our Office of Division Counsel for guidance,” she said. But Reid points out current Homeland Security policy prohibits ICE from going to schools, hospitals and houses of worship. The Trump administration reportedly is thinking about rescinding that rule. News4 sends breaking news stories by email. Go here to sign up to get breaking news alerts in your inbox.
Allies of President-elect Donald Trump labeled several Northern Virginia communities as sanctuary jurisdictions, including Fairfax County, where leaders and the immigrant community are preparing for the threat of mass deportation.
In 2017 during President Trump’s first months as president, Northern Virginia was the scene of several Immigration and Customs Enforcement actions that led to public outcry. They included:
- Arrests outside a church hypothermia shelter,
- The deportation of a pastor who had no criminal record,
- And deportation of a mom of two with a traffic violation.
Now, advocates are bracing for what the threat of mass deportation in a second Trump term might mean.
“Our expectation for a second Trump administration is a supercharged Trump administration,” said Virginia CASA Director Luis Aguilar. “They obviously know what to do now. They know how to navigate government.”
“What we expect is Trump is going to try to do as much as possible to harm the immigrant community,” he said.
Fairfax County leaders hope their Trust Policy will help counter fear and anxiety provoked by the talk of mass deportation. Adopted in 2021, the Trust Policy makes clear immigration status is not a factor when it comes to county services.
It’s a protection Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay is intent on making clear.
“What I’m going to be continually reiterating to folks is that county employees are not federal immigration officials,” he said. “Immigration policy and enforcement has always been and must always be the role of the federal government.”
McKay credits the policy with helping the county achieve the lowest crime rate for a jurisdiction its size, which he hopes future ICE activity won’t jeopardize.
“If we don’t have communication with our community, we can’t solve crimes,” McKay said. “If we don’t have communication with all people in our community, victims of crimes will not come forward and report those, and that creates a public safety issue.”
Fairfax County Public Schools also is mindful of what could be ahead and the concerns of immigrant parents. But Superintendent Michelle Reid said she’s focused on turning the temperature down for the welfare of the students.
“We don’t know yet what could happen,” she said. “We know what is happening, and we guarantee to our families, our children our staff that our schools are safe spaces.”
The Fairfax County School Board adopted its own Trust Policy in 2022, making it clear no information about FCPS families will be shared directly or indirectly with federal immigration officials. That policy is posted in locations throughout all FCPS schools.
Reid said with the Trump inauguration just days away, she’s asked principals to provide a refresher to staff on the Trust Policy and what to do if ICE agents were to arrive at a school.
“Currently, that policy says that if any immigration enforcement official were to come to school, the office is to contact our Office of Division Counsel for guidance,” she said.
But Reid points out current Homeland Security policy prohibits ICE from going to schools, hospitals and houses of worship. The Trump administration reportedly is thinking about rescinding that rule.
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