On September 3, Virginia advocates learned that the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) has been obscuring the extent of its collaboration with Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE). Records obtained by the ICE Out of Loudoun coalition and partners through Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests revealed that deputies with the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) have been contacting ICE during routine interactions in the community.
For years, Sheriff Mike Chapman and his office have publicly emphasized that the county’s cooperation with ICE was limited to the 287(g) program at the Adult Detention Center, where individuals with immigration detainers may be held for transfer to ICE. However, the FOIA brings to light more than a dozen incidents in which deputies contacted ICE after encountering individuals during traffic stops, service calls, or other community interactions.
Loudoun County Inmates Transferred to ICE in 2025
How Law Enforcement Collaboration with ICE Harms Public Safety
Formal agreements between local agencies and ICE, like the 287(g) program, and informal arrangements with ICE, like complying with administrative warrants and detainers, have been shown by research to make entire communities less safe. When police collaborate with federal immigration authorities, reporting victimization is even scarier for those targeted by crimes.
For immigrants experiencing domestic violence (DV), the result is downright chilling: At Ayuda, we see our clients constantly having to weigh whether calling the police is worth the risk.
The LCSO revelations show a frightening manifestation of this fear. A woman in Sterling called 911 to report domestic violence from a man she was living with. LCSO ran her information through their database and discovered an immigration detainer attached to her name. At that point, even though it was beyond the terms of LCSO’s 287(g) agreement, the Sheriff’s Office called ICE to share her residence and a photo.
She, and every other person in Loudoun County, should be able to call the police when in danger without their information being shared with federal agents.
Frontline Stories: How Fear of Deportation Silences Ayuda’s Immigrant Clients
At Ayuda, our team serves more than 300 clients in Loudoun County, the majority of whom are immigrant survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, and other serious crimes. Our work depends on survivors feeling safe enough to seek help, report crimes, cooperate with law enforcement, and access the justice system.
Loudoun County Immigrants Served by Ayuda in FY2025
But fear presents an often-insurmountable obstacle to the work of our legal and social services teams to help clients find safety and instability. An Ayuda attorney reported earlier this year that a client contacted counsel after experiencing physical and verbal assault at work in Loudon County. The client wanted to contact law enforcement but was concerned about potential immigration consequences. Although the client had the right to report the incident, counsel could not assure the client that local law enforcement would not communicate with ICE. Ultimately, the client chose not to report the assault because of that fear.
This is precisely the public safety concern raised by the recent revelations regarding contacts between the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office and ICE. When immigrant residents believe that contact with local law enforcement could expose them or their family members to immigration enforcement, many simply stop reporting crimes.
Our Call to Action: End Local ICE Partnerships
Ayuda and our partners call for an end to local partnerships with ICE. Loudoun County should play no role in advancing the federal government’s mass deportation agenda, whether through formal 287(g) agreements or through voluntary compliance with detainers or administrative warrants. These partnerships undermine public safety by making immigrant families, victims, and witnesses afraid to seek help when they need it most.
No one should choose between their safety and the risk of deportation. If Loudoun County leaders are serious about protecting all residents, they must prioritize trust, transparency, and policies that ensure every person can report a crime, seek assistance, and access justice without fear.
Loudoun County residents can take action by sending a letter in support of a local Trust policy using the form below, courtesy of our friends at the New Virginia Majority. Once you’ve done that, mark your calendar to support in person at the upcoming Board of Supervisors meeting:
- 📅 October 6, 2026
- ⏰ 5:30 p.m.
- 📍 Loudoun County Government Center, 1 Harrison St SE #5, Leesburg, Va. 20175