Virginia GOP Chair Critiques Arlington County's Immigration Policies

<p>A House Judiciary Committee report has criticized Arlington County's approach to immigration enforcement, highlighting tensions between local policies and Republican perspectives. The 23-page interim staff report from the committee's Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement contends that Arlington's sanctuary policies compromise public safety by making it difficult for federal immigration authorities to detain undocumented immigrants with criminal records.</p><p>Matthew Hurtt, chairman of the Arlington County Republican Committee, stated, "Chairman [Jim] Jordan's Judiciary Committee report about Arlington is spot on. Arlington elected officials prioritize illegal aliens over the safety of Arlington residents. And as an Arlington resident, I've seen this play out over the last several months."</p><p>The report points to limited cooperation between local law enforcement and immigration authorities, citing Arlington County's Trust Policy, which restricts the Arlington County Police Department from contacting federal immigration authorities, even when dealing with undocumented immigrants identified as violent felons or gang members.</p><p>Additionally, the report references a July 16, 2026 deposition in which Parisa Dehghani-Tafti, the Commonwealth’s Attorney for Arlington County, acknowledged that her office considers immigration status in case outcomes. She defended a memo advising prosecutors to consider other charges for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients accused of drunk driving, in light of potential deportation risks associated with DUI convictions.</p><p>Hurtt criticized Dehghani-Tafti's approach, asserting, "It's not the job of a prosecutor to decide lenience against illegal aliens who are oftentimes committing violent crimes against individuals or property crimes."</p><p>In response to the committee report, Dehghani-Tafti described it as a "political sham," claiming it was based on misrepresentations of her policies and testimony. She called for the release of the full transcript of her deposition, stating, "They didn’t want the public to see it."</p><p>Fox News Digital has reached out to Dehghani-Tafti's office, the Sheriff's Office, and the County Board for further comments.</p>