Beyer Warns Of Increased ICE Violence And Warrantless Detention In Northern Virginia

Rep. Don Beyer today issued the following statement on recent Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) encounters in Northern Virginia:

"The injuries to Jose Mejia Hernandez and his account of how he received them are extremely disturbing, and I am seeking further details about what happened to him in Arlington. It essential to establish the facts in this case, and, if this is another instance of unjustified violence by ICE agents, to hold them accountable.

"My office has received reports of several other ICE encounters in Northern Virginia in the past 10 days that featured unjustified violence or apparently warrantless detention. The pattern that emerges in the descriptions is of ICE agents stopping people outside or on the street, asking for ID, and often responding with violence when their orders are questioned, regardless of whether those orders violate individuals' rights.

"In the case of Carolina Molina, ICE agents were filmed pointing a gun at a citizen because she verbally challenged and filmed them, activities which are protected by the First Amendment. I look forward to meeting with Ms. Molina soon to hear her perspective on these events and discuss next steps.

"I urge Northern Virginians to exercise extreme caution. ICE agents are here, they are regularly ignoring their training and departmental regulations that call for deescalation, they are disappearing people, and they are all too frequently becoming out of control or violent. I thank constituents who have alerted my office to these activities, and encourage all residents to review and remember their constitutional rights. Our community is diverse and inclusive, and we must work together to ensure that our neighbors are safe and that peace, law, and order can prevail."

Northern Virginians are reminded to Know Their Rights.