The U.S. Department of Homeland Security published a list of cities and counties yesterday it claims are not compliant with federal immigration laws.
More than 30 cities and counties in Virginia have been flagged as undermining “the rule of law” and endangering “the lives of Americans and law enforcement,” according to the agency.
Among the localities considered sanctuary jurisdictions are Albemarle County, Augusta County and Charlottesville.
It seems odd that Augusta County made the list when more than 73 percent of voters in the presidential election cast their ballots for Donald Trump, but OK. It just adds more to the plate of Sheriff Donald Smith, who is already in the headlines for a $5.35 million lawsuit filed against him by a former employee and for an investigation involving a person found dead in the back of one of his deputy’s vehicles.
Over the mountain, Albemarle County said it has not received any official notification from federal authorities regarding its inclusion on the list.
“We are aware of the release of this list and have contacted our federal partners for clarification,” reads a statement sent out from the county this morning. “At this time, we have not received any clear direction or additional information from them.
“The enforcement of federal immigration law is the responsibility of the federal government, and Albemarle County complies with those laws. As with other federal actions, we will continue to monitor the situation and respond appropriately should we receive formal notice.”
In a previous interview with AFP, Albemarle County Police Chief Sean Reeves said its office has relationships with federal partners, but it doesn’t have the staff to pursue immigration enforcement or provide officers to assist U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE.
“They [police officers] have enough on their plate to work on,” Reeves said, “as opposed to doing roundups.”
According to the DHS executive order, the cities, counties and states on the list are obstructing the enforcement of federal immigration laws.
The so-called sanctuary jurisdictions “are deliberately and shamefully obstructing the enforcement of federal immigration laws endangering American communities.”
The localities, according to DHS, “protect dangerous criminal aliens from facing consequences and put law enforcement in peril.”
According to the order, factors that were considered include:
- compliance with federal law enforcement
- information restrictions
- legal protections for illegal aliens
Each jurisdiction will receive “formal notification of its non-compliance” with federal statutes.
DHS is also demanding that “these jurisdictions immediately review and revise their policies to align with federal immigration laws and renew their obligation to protect American citizens, not dangerous illegal aliens.”
Homeland Security: Virginia cities, counties declared sanctuary jurisdictions
- Abingdon
- Albemarle County
- Alexandria
- Amherst County
- Arlington County
- Augusta County
- Brunswick County
- Charlotte County
- Charlottesville
- Chesterfield County
- Dinwiddie County
- Duffield
- Fairfax County
- Gloucester County
- Halifax County
- Hampton
- Hanover County
- Henrico County
- Martinsville County
- Middlesex County
- Lynchburg
- Manassas
- Martinsville
- Newport News
- Portsmouth
- Prince William County
- Rappahannock County
- Richmond
- Richmond County
- Tazewell
- Tazewell County
- Virginia Beach
- Warren County
Update: Augusta County Sheriff response
Augusta County Sheriff Donald Smith released this statement on Friday.
“Augusta County is aware of its placement on the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) list of sanctuary jurisdictions. The County received no advance notification or request for information from any federal agencies prior to the publication of this list.
“To our knowledge, Augusta County is not considered a sanctuary jurisdiction by either the County or the Augusta County Sheriff’s Office. At this time, we are contacting federal partners to seek clarification on the criteria used to include our locality on this list.
“The Augusta County Sheriff’s Office fully intends to cooperate with federal agencies when criminal warrants related to immigration are issued. The enforcement of immigration law is the responsibility of federal agencies. For the Augusta County Sheriff’s Office, the safety and well-being of county residents remains the top priority.
“Additional details will be released once we have information from federal authorities.”
Update: City of Charlottesville statement
The City of Charlottesville also released a statement on Friday.
“The City of Charlottesville has not received any official notification from the federal government regarding the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s recently released list of “sanctuary jurisdictions.”
“To date, there is no clear legal or statutory definition of what constitutes a “sanctuary jurisdiction,” and the City of Charlottesville has no policies or practices that prohibit or impede cooperation with federal law enforcement agencies, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
“Charlottesville takes seriously its responsibility to comply with state and federal law,” said Sam Sanders, City Manager. “The City does not obstruct federal immigration enforcement, and we have no policy or practice that would warrant inclusion on this list. We hope DHS will move swiftly to correct the record.”
“Charlottesville remains committed to our vision to be a place where everyone thrives and will continue to adhere to all applicable federal and state laws. The City plans on contacting the Department of Homeland Security and requesting that they review and revise the list to ensure it accurately reflects Charlottesville’s practices.”
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Crystal Graham
