Local Leaders Urge Calm as Fear of ICE Raids Surges

Amid heightened immigration enforcement under President Trump’s executive orders, local communities are grappling with confusion and fear sparked by social media posts warning of ICE raids and undercover operations.

The president issued numerous Executive Orders, some of which reinforced the enforcement of U.S. immigration laws. In addition to targeted raids on known criminals across the country, the Trump administration has mobilized troops at the U.S.-Mexico border and reinstated the previous “Remain in Mexico” policy. This policy requires individuals seeking asylum to stay outside the U.S. while awaiting a decision on their applications.

These enforcement measures have sparked concern among those residing in the country illegally. Despite the Trump administration’s assurances that it is focusing on illegal immigrants with criminal convictions, certain groups have seized on the uncertainty, pushing political agendas that confuse the undocumented community, causing fear and confusion. Numerous social media posts, in both English and Spanish, warn people to avoid common locations like grocery stores and shopping centers to prevent encounters with ICE.

Meg Carroll, a retired Manassas City Police Lieutenant and current manager of the Georgetown South Community Council Foundation posted a photo online of a Jeep with standard Virginia plates leaving the Georgetown South neighborhood in Manassas. In the post, she claimed, in both English and Spanish, “I can confirm that ICE is in the area traveling in unmarked cars with all windows blacked out,” seemingly using her law enforcement background to lend credibility to her assertion that ICE officers were operating undercover in the area. Carroll did not respond to a request for comment before publication.

Aeshah Sheikh, chief of staff for Virginia Senator Saddam Azlan Salim (D-37 Fairfax), and wife of Raheel Sheikh, the current Occoquan Planning Commissioner and former Democratic Party candidate for the Coles District Board of County Supervisors, also shared an alert claiming ICE presence in Manassas. When asked what the post aimed to achieve, Sheikh did not respond to requests for clarification.

These are just two of many social media posts we reviewed—some from individuals trying to inform the community, but most contributing to unnecessary panic with exaggerated claims.

Community leaders are calling for calm.

Prince William County’s Coles District Supervisor Yesli Vega expressed concern over the spread of misinformation and fear-mongering, particularly by groups and individuals claiming to represent the Hispanic community. She said in an emailed statement, “They are promoting false narratives about ‘raids’ targeting churches and schools in our county, despite there being no evidence to support these claims.”

Manassas City Councilwoman Sonia Vasquez Luna, a legal immigrant from El Salvador, shared that she had encountered similar posts urging people to avoid certain areas and warning about ICE vehicles using plate readers to identify undocumented individuals.

Vasquez Luna explained that these claims play on the fear that people in the country illegally must disclose personal information, like their birthplace and current address when registering their vehicles. Those critical of the activist groups say they manipulate these fears to push a narrative that frightens the very people they claim to help. While she understands why immigrants would have these fears, Vasquez Luna advised the public to consult immigration lawyers to better understand what immigration officials can and cannot do.

When asked if the Biden administration’s open border policies contributed to the rapid enforcement measures under Trump, Vasquez Luna refrained from placing blame solely on Biden: “All administrations are to blame for what is happening because no one has done anything to really address it.”

Vega emphasized that “immigration officials have to act within the confines of the law,” and that the rules immigration officers follow do not differ for those living in the country illegally.

The U.S. Constitution guarantees Fourth Amendment protections, ensuring that individuals are secure in their persons and property and cannot be forced to produce citizenship documents on demand. It also prohibits searches of homes without a valid warrant or exigent circumstances. The Fifth and Sixth Amendments also grant rights to refuse to answer questions from officials and to be represented by a lawyer, regardless of immigration status.

Prince William County police outlined its stance on immigration enforcement in their manual, which states that officers do not assist in civil immigration enforcement and generally are not permitted to inquire about an individual’s immigration status during routine interactions. The policy emphasizes that officers will protect victims and witnesses of crimes, irrespective of their immigration status, in an effort to encourage crime reporting.

In a series of tweets, Manassas City Police acknowledged the growing concerns prompted by social media posts, including allegations of immigration checkpoints. However, they clarified their position: “The Manassas City Police Department has not, and will not, undertake any type of immigration-related investigations. We are not authorized to enforce federal immigration laws and cannot lawfully do so.” They encouraged residents to contact the non-emergency line with any concerns, regardless of their immigration status.

Regarding protections for crime victims, Manassas Police spokesman Brett Stumpf reminded the community that Virginia law protects residents who report crimes, witness incidents, or are victims, regardless of their immigration status.

One of President Trump’s recent Executive Orders removes the designation of certain sensitive places, such as schools and houses of worship, as safe zones from immigration enforcement. This change allows for enforcement in these areas, which were previously used as refuges by individuals seeking to evade immigration authorities.

Vega, who works as a Prince William County Sheriff’s Deputy, stated, “It is possible that criminals seeking to evade the law may try to exploit our places of worship and schools.”

She also cautioned against relying on information from groups with potential political motives, saying, “These fear-mongering tactics are being used to manipulate and divide our community, not protect it. These groups prioritize personal gain and political agendas over the well-being of the people they claim to serve.”

The Laken Riley Act, signed into law last Wednesday by President Trump, expands the list of crimes that trigger mandatory detention for non-citizens arrested or charged with offenses like rape, theft, assault on a police officer, or crimes that result in injury or death. It also allows states severely impacted by the migrant crisis to sue federal officials who fail to act. This bipartisan law passed both chambers of Congress with broad support.

Activists have focused their efforts on two local congressmen, Eugene Vindman and Suhas Subramanyan, who were among the 50 Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives and 12 in the Senate who joined Republicans in voting for the law to remove criminal immigrants.

“You know what they called Obama, right? Deporter-in-Chief,” Vasquez Luna said, alluding to the fact that former President Obama deported more than 3.1 million people to the US illegally. During Trump’s first term, he deported about 1 million. Now, in his second term, immigration officials have arrested 5,500, but Trump vows to deport “a lot more.”