Outside of the Manassas Courthouse was a large gathering of protestors who spoke out against the 287(g) agreement with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Tonight, their years of hard work and effort were rewarded as the newly appointed jail board members overseeing the Prince William-Manassas Adult Detention Center voted to end the 287(g) policy. It officially expires on July 3rd since Sheriff Glen Hill could not get a motion for the agreement to continue. 

After the announcement was made public around 8:03 pm, several individuals came out to voice their support to the end of the very controversial policy which had been in place since 2009.

Occoquan District Board of County Supervisor Kenny Boddye released the following statement: “I applaud the decision of the Jail Board to not continue the agreement as it diverts local tax dollars toward federal immigration enforcement and it – as Prince William Police Chief Barry Barnard indicated in his own remarks – presents challenges of trust between the community and law enforcement. At a time when our community, nation and world are trying to heal long-standing injustices against marginalized communities, this is an important step in the right direction.”

“With the national conversation rightfully focused on the brutalities of law enforcement against Black and Brown people, the ending of 287g in Prince William County is nothing short of historic,” said Luis Oyola, local committee chair of VACIR with Legal Aid Justice Center.  “This contract enabled far too many abuses by ICE and the Jail against immigrants in the County. This is the people’s win and we look forward to ending all abuses against the marginalized people of Prince William County.“

Prince William County is a majority-minority community. 1 in 4 immigrants reside in Prince William County. From 2011 to July 2019, over 6,503 inmates have been transferred to ICE. Since 2018, over 579 people have been deported under the agreement. 

Many households are dependent on the income of a parent who may be deported. The median income for immigrant households on average drops from $36,000 to $15,400 when a family member is deported. This is well below the poverty line. Additionally, if a single parent is deported, children may be sent to foster care which puts more financial cost on the localities.

“We stand in absolute support with the new leadership at the Prince William County Board of Supervisors and the Prince William-Manassas Regional Jail Board that has taken a clear stance against the 287(g) program. As an organization in Prince William County and Manassas, CASA has organized, advocated, and transformed the area these past years. This is a step forward for the county to end mass deportations, the criminalization of immigrants, and ripping families apart. We have new leadership in Prince William County that is more representative of all its residents and as such more in tune to the community needs and this is absolutely a victory for our community and progress for the county,” said Luis Aguilar, CASA Virginia Director.

The 287(g) agreement in Prince William County-Manassas Adult Detention Center was one of two counties in Virginia that had the policy in effect prior to tonight. The majority of the expenses to run the program were paid for by the taxpayers of Prince William County and Manassas. It cost both localities over $300,000 per year. A study by the Brookings Institute found that Prince William County had to raise property taxes and divert funds from reserves to start its 287(g) program in 2009. Because of the shifting dynamics of elected and appointed officials of the jail board, this policy reversal was possible.

“Ending the agreement is just the beginning of a movement to make our communities more inclusive,” said Evelin Urrtia, VACIR 287(g) working group chair with Tenants and Workers United. “We have fought hard to make sure immigrant families stay together. This is time for us to create equitable solutions and to build trust within the immigrant community.”

“This is a win for all parties involved,” said Qasim Rashid, human rights lawyer and Democratic candidate for Congress in Virginia’s 1st District. “This is excellent news for those who believe in due process of law, upholding the Constitution, protecting our local community, upholding human rights, and ensuring our police officers aren’t tasked with responsibilities beyond their capacity.” 

The best way to summarize the importance of this victory is told by someone whose family moved away from the county due to concerns over racism, yet returned to ensure that policies such as 287(g) would not be renewed. We spoke with Brenda Medrano-Frias, Senior Advisor to Woodbridge District Board of County Supervisor Margaret Franklin, about her journey and the impact of this decision.

“Back in 2007 my family and I left Prince William County in fear of the blatant racial targeting happening in our community,” said Medrano-Frias. “Back then, I promised myself I would not give up the fight.”

“Now, 13 years later, I came back and I could not be prouder to see it through to the end. This is a huge victory for our community and the first step in healing the wounds of our county’s past.”

She concludes with an emphatic message that, in essence, represents up the feelings of many. “Let this be clear, to the racists and bigots – WE ARE HERE TO STAY!”