Critics of Alexandria Sheriff Sean Casey asked City Council last night (Monday) to withhold his funding unless he stops voluntarily transferring inmates to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
More than two dozen speakers appeared before City Council at its public hearing on City Manager Jim Parajon’s fiscal year 2027 budget proposal. For nearly a year, activists have protested against ASO’s transferring of Alexandria inmates to ICE custody via the agency’s detainers and administrative warrants.
Parajon’s budget includes $36.12 million for ASO, a 0.7% increase over last year. While ASO eliminated a sheriff’s deputy position (saving $93,523) and changed its vehicle replacement schedule (saving $99,206), the proposed budget allocation rose due to a new $168,000 jail management system.
City Council did not comment during the public hearing, but its work session on Wednesday will include the sheriff’s office budget. Last fall, City Council formally asked Casey to stop transferring inmates to ICE unless required by law.
“Sheriff Sean Casey continues to collaborate with ICE without any type of accountability,” said Oliver Merino, a member of the ICE Out of Alexandria coalition. “He has ignored the City Council statement. Again, thank you for issuing that statement, but it’s clear that he’s not listening to you. He has ignored the residents of our community, who clearly do not support ICE, do not want anything to do with ICE, and certainly don’t want our tax dollars to go to a city department that works with ICE.”
ASO transferred 54 Alexandria inmates to ICE custody in 2025; 43 inmates in 2024 and 33 transfers in 2023.
Casey responded to protestors’ messages in a statement this afternoon.
“The Sheriff’s Office does not ‘collaborate’ or ‘cooperate’ with ICE; we follow the law and following the law is not ‘voluntary,'” Casey said. “Calling for cuts to the Sheriff’s Office budget because we follow the law is misguided and irresponsible. The proper venue to address concerns with the law is through the legislative process, not through the City’s budget process.”
Sammie Moshenberg, a member of the ICE Out of Alexandria, said last night that the budget is a moral document.
“Now is the time to stand up for the city’s values,” Moshenberg said. “Alexandrians never get the opportunity to defend their innocence to the dangerous, inhumane conditions of ICE detention. Please stand up for what is right and decrease the sheriff’s budget.”
David Ballinger said he appreciated Council’s public statement in November but wants more.
“I add my voice here for the sake of common sense, common decency and an immigrant community that doesn’t deserve the cruel and destructive attacks on it by the federal government and ones that our sheriffs should not volunteer to abet,” Ballinger said. “I’m here because the federal government’s campaign against immigrants is radical. It’s radical in its cruelty, it’s radical in its disregard of the law and courts, and it’s radical in its practice of constant, pervasive, blatant lying to all of us about what they’re doing.”
Last November, Casey’s office released a lengthy statement maintaining that his office follows “well-established federal and state laws surrounding immigration.”
The Alexandria Sheriff’s Office does not collaborate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Our involvement with ICE is strictly limited to what is required by law, and we take care to ensure that our actions remain compliant with all applicable legal mandates. The Sheriff’s Office values all our residents, and we work with local organizations to support our immigrant population.
Legal Requirements for ICE Notification
Virginia law requires that we communicate with ICE regarding inmates in our custody who have been charged with crimes. If ICE determines that it wishes to take custody of an inmate, it will issue a Detainer/Notice of Action (Form I-247A) indicating that a warrant for arrest has been issued. These documents are entered into the Sheriff’s Office jail management system, and staff are notified of the arrest warrant when the inmate is scheduled to be released.
Explanation of ICE Detainers
The detainer (Form I-247A) issued by ICE is a formal request for the Sheriff’s Office to take certain actions. However, as clarified by the Virginia Attorney General, this detainer is “merely a request.” It does not legally obligate or authorize law enforcement to maintain custody of an inmate who is otherwise eligible for immediate release from local or state custody. Sheriff Casey fully concurs with this opinion and, as a result, the Sheriff’s Office takes no legal action based on the detainer.
Sheriff’s Office Policy and Practice
- We do not comply with ICE detainers by holding any inmate past their release date.
- We do not permit ICE to assume custody of an inmate based on an ICE detainer.
- We do not allow ICE to take custody of an inmate without a federal arrest warrant.
Procedures for Lawful Transfer of Custody
All law enforcement agencies, including ICE, must follow the same procedures and requirements when seeking custody of an inmate from our jail. This standardized process includes the Sheriff’s Office notifying the requesting agency of an inmate’s release date, a procedure consistent with current law, formal policy, and best practices. All transfers to ICE, or to any other law enforcement agency, are carried out promptly, professionally, safely, and in accordance with the law. It is important to note that there is no single fixed “release time” for inmates.
Limited Involvement with ICE
The Alexandria Sheriff’s Office does not participate in any activities with ICE beyond those required by law. To that end, Sheriff Casey rejected the Governor’s Office demand that the Sheriff’s Office participate and cooperate in immigration enforcement in our communities and Sheriff Casey removed ICE from our federal jail contract with the United States Marshals Service. Apart from the legal obligations described above, the Sheriff’s Office has no other involvement with ICE.
If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us at 703.746.4114. You may also reach out to Lieutenant Victor Ignacio, who is fluent in Spanish, at 703.746.5013. If someone you know needs assistance, please contact us. We are here to help and will do our best to provide support.
