The Arlington County Sheriff’s Office announced this week that they will no longer work on a voluntary basis with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Up until the Dec. 20th policy change, the Sheriff’s office – which operates the county jail – could choose to inform ICE when they were releasing any undocumented person with a felony conviction or charge. Now, the office will only honor warrants signed by judges on the behalf of the federal agency. It will also continue to submit information to federal databases as required by law.

“I am extremely passionate about my role as Sheriff which includes ensuring the safety and security of the individuals in our custody as well as the citizens of Arlington County,” said Sheriff Beth Arthur in a letter addressed to immigrant advocates.

The move comes after years of efforts from immigrant community members who raised concerns over the Arlington County Board’s overall policy, which was changed in July to prevent the use of county resources for immigration enforcement, among other things.

At the time, however, advocates argued that the new policy fell short because it did not force the Arlington County Police Department to stop working with federal immigration officials all together. They also asserted that the board should pressure the Sheriff’s Office – which operates independently – into cutting its ties with ICE.

For Luz Tobar, an organizer with LaColectiVA, an organization that works closely with families throughout Arlington County, the Sheriff’s new policy is a step in the right direction.

“I feel very happy that all that work, all the organizing is paying off now,” says Tobar. “It definitely is gonna keep a lot of families together.”

On December 2, community members and advocates met with Arthur and other officials to share their every-day concerns regarding law enforcement in Arlington working with ICE. According to advocates, more than 50 people gathered inside of the Arlington Mill Community Center. Arthur said that the meeting, as well as research and consulting with an attorney, played a role in the decision to change the policy.

“It’s a rock and a hard place,” Arthur told DCist/WAMU. “I mean every story is hard. I mean it is hard to see somebody who’s life, family is disrupted and upset. There also is the other side of that issue of the community and the safety of the community. So just always trying to balance.”

While advocates believe the new policy is a success, they say they’re going to continue pushing for the county to become more inclusive of all immigrant community members – like stopping the Arlington County Police Department from working with ICE completely.

“Although this is a big win, there’s still work to be done,” says Tobar.

When asked to comment on the Sheriff’s new policy, a representative for the county police shared that the department works with the county board to make such decisions and that it has thus far adhered to department policy.

“The Arlington County Police Department worked closely with county leadership to help develop Arlington’s Commitment to Strengthening Trust with Our Immigrant Communities policy, which was adopted in July 2022, and amended Department policy to align with the Trust Policy,” said Alli Shorb, spokesperson with the Arlington Police Department.  “The Department does not conduct immigration enforcement investigations and does not take any enforcement action based on federal administrative or civil immigration warrants or detainers. Such actions are expressly prohibited by Department policy and have been for many years.”

Currently, Arlington county police policy requires officers to get permission from their superior before they can contact ICE, but can do so when they arrest an undocumented person for circumstances like a violent felony or if they are involved in terrorism, human trafficking, or a street gang offense. County police officers can also choose to notify federal immigration officials when someone is arrested for a non-violent felony but are deemed to be a community safety threat.

Still, Danny Cendejas, also a member of LaColectiVA, says that with the success of the campaign to change the Sheriff’s policy, they want to continue pushing for further change.

“We hope that this effort will be a model of community leading changes and that people who are in elected office [will actually be] accountable to what they are demanding,” said Cendejas.