Alexandria Mayor Alyia Gaskins says that recent immigration enforcement raids in nearby jurisdictions have resulted in “fear, confusion, and concern,” and that the city won’t assist federal investigators.
In a statement posted on the city website today, the Democrat mayor said that Alexandria will always be a welcoming community where “all residents are supported, respected, and valued.”
“While Federal officers may take enforcement actions in our City, the City of Alexandria does not participate in federal immigration enforcement,” Gaskins said. “The City of Alexandria’s law enforcement officers do not participate in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids or arrests to enforce immigration laws. This applies to Alexandria police officers, deputy sheriffs and fire marshals.”
The statement comes after a reported raid in the Alexandria area of Fairfax County earlier this month.
“We take great pride in the fact that we are a community that cares about one another,” Gaskins said. “Here in Alexandria, we will govern based on our values and facts. Our strength is in our ability to support one another and to uphold the values that make Alexandria the community we all choose to call home.”
While Alexandria has an agreement with the federal government to temporarily house detainees of the U.S. Marshals Service and the Federal Bureau of Prisons charged with federal crimes, ICE is not part of the agreement, according to the city.
“ICE will never be allowed to house any individual arrested for violations of immigration laws,” the city says on its website. “This will not change under any circumstances.”
Alexandria City Public Schools Superintendent Melanie Kay-Wyatt joined Fairfax County Public Schools in putting out a statement on how the school system can and can’t protect students from ICE raids. The statement was released after President Trump rescinded a long-standing policy of ICE agents not making arrests at hospitals, churches and schools.
“ACPS does not ask for, collect or maintain any information regarding the immigration status of any student or family in the school division,” Kay-Wyatt said in the statement.
ICE reported nearly 1,000 immigration-related arrests around the country on Jan. 27.
