Congress probes Arlington’s immigration enforcement policies

Congress probes Arlington’s immigration enforcement policies

Three top law enforcement officials in Arlington County, Virginia were questioned Monday by the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee over immigration enforcement. FOX 5 DC's Tom Fitzgerald has the story. 

WASHINGTON - Arlington County’s top law enforcement and legal officials are facing renewed scrutiny from Congress over local immigration enforcement policies, following a series of letters sent by House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan. 

Jordan directed his correspondence to Arlington County Police Chief Charles Penn, Commonwealth’s Attorney Parisa Dehghani-Tafti and Sheriff Jose Quiroz, questioning what he describes as local "sanctuary-style" policies that limit cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

ICE detainer requests

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He argued Monday that the policies may be undermining federal immigration enforcement and potentially endangering public safety.

Arlington County Police Chief Charles Penn, Commonwealth’s Attorney Parisa Dehghani-Tafti and Sheriff Jose Quiroz. (File Photo) 

At the center of the dispute are county rules requiring a judicial warrant before honoring ICE detainer requests, a standard adopted after the Arlington County Board approved tighter restrictions on immigration enforcement cooperation last year, according to previous FOX 5 D.C. reporting. 

Jordan’s office cited specific criminal cases involving individuals previously released from Arlington County custody, including David Cabrera and Luzvin Orvando Garcia Moran, both of whom were later accused of sexual assault-related offenses. The letters argue those cases highlight the risks of limiting cooperation with federal immigration authorities.

What they're saying:

Immigration enforcement advocates echoed those concerns on Monday, arguing that individuals released locally without ICE notification can move freely across state lines and therefore pose broader public safety risks.

Other residents expressed frustration with congressional involvement in local policy decisions to FOX 5 D.C., saying immigration enforcement should be handled primarily at the local level. Others called for a more measured review of the policies and their outcomes rather than political confrontation.

In response, a spokesperson for the Arlington County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office said Jordan’s actions amounted to "abusing congressional power," adding that the office would not be "bullied or deterred" from carrying out its responsibilities.