CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. — Chesterfield Commonwealth's Attorney Erin Barr shared her concerns with recent U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainments at the county's courthouse.
The agents' operations have resulted in more than a dozen detentions since Friday.
Barr said her office "has no involvement with ICE detaining individuals in the courthouse" and that there is no official policy regarding ICE, as the office has no involvement.
In a statement shared with CBS 6, Barr said:
"While I do not have the authority to prevent the arrests by ICE in the courthouse, I am deeply concerned about the impact they have on our ability as prosecutors to pursue justice for victims and ensure public safety through the prosecution of those committing criminal acts in our community. When community members see our courthouse as a place to fear, it prevents them from seeking safety and protection from our law enforcement and justice system. This allows criminal activity to thrive on the exploitation of these victims. To those victims, I want to provide reassurance that the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office (804-748-1221) and Victim/Witness Assistance Program (804-796-7087) remain committed to serving and supporting them."
Chesterfield County Sheriff Karl Leonard told CBS 6 earlier this week that his staff received "little notice" about the operation, and he was not sure how long it would last.
Watch: Governor responds after ICE detains multiple people at Chesterfield courthouse
Gov. Glenn Youngkin defended the operations when asked about them on Tuesday.
“I appreciate Chesterfield County working with our statewide task force making sure that we’re going to be able to keep Virginians safe," Youngkin said. We’re now through over 2,000 arrest as part of the Virginia Homeland Security Taskforce. It’s working.”
CBS 6 is committed to sharing community voices on this important topic. Email your thoughts to the CBS 6 Newsroom.
📲: CONNECT WITH US
Blue Sky | Facebook | Instagram | X | Threads | TikTok | YouTube
