Fourteen people were detained in a series of ICE raids at the Chesterfield County courthouse, according to the sheriff’s office.
The arrests occurred over three days: Friday, Monday, and Tuesday, with ICE making multiple trips to the courthouse.
Authorities stated that all of the defendants were appearing for court hearings related to a range of misdemeanor and felony charges. None of the individuals were incarcerated at the time and were detained after their court appearance.
Governor Glenn Youngkin responded, stating that the actions are part of a broader initiative to remove violent offenders who are in the country illegally.
“We have a statewide collaboration and partnership between State Police, ICE, FBI, and DEA, working to ensure that violent criminals who are here illegally are arrested,” Youngkin said. “The fact that there have been some arrests at the Chesterfield County courthouse is logical, as they have clearly been arrested, they are here illegally, and therefore that’s part of our statewide effort.”
Critics argue that the presence of ICE at courthouses could discourage immigrants from participating in the justice system, fearing that even appearing as a witness could lead to detention.
Virginia is currently one of the top five states in the country for immigration enforcement activity, with more than 2,000 removal orders reported in March alone.