DUFFIELD — The federal Department of Homeland Security says Duffield is obstructing federal immigration law.
The town’s designation as a sanctuary jurisdiction on the DHS website Friday was news to Scott County Board of Supervisors Chairman Chris Maness.
“It doesn’t make any sense,” Maness said Friday. “I’m seeing all sorts of things, but we’re trying to get to the bottom of it.”
Maness said he had been working with the county administrator and county attorney as well as contacting the region’s congressional delegation.
“Duffield has no way to comply either way,” Maness said of the DHS action. “They don’t have any mechanisms or law enforcement. I’m at a loss of words. My first thought was, someone was having fun, but it’s legit.”
Maness said he has attended Duffield town council meetings for two years and never saw or heard council take any sanctuary-related action for the town of approximately 70 people.
“I am worried that the administration is liable to cut funding for things with a Duffield address,” said Maness. “(Appalachian Sustainable Development’s Duffield Food Hub) is over here fighting for their life. I want to get this fixed because it’s a headache for everybody.”
Three other Southwest Virginia localities — Abingdon, Tazewell and Tazewell County — found themselves with the same designation as local government and the region’s Congressional delegation demanded answers from federal officials.
Tazewell, Abingdon and Tazewell County officials each posted on their Facebook pages that they did not know why they were included in the sanctuary list comply with federal law.
DHA accusation
The DHS website page on Friday cited Trump administration Executive Order 14287: Protecting American Communities from Criminal Aliens for the towns’ and county’s sanctuary status.
“Sanctuary jurisdictions (include) cities, counties, and states that are deliberately and shamefully obstructing the enforcement of federal immigration laws endangering American communities,” the DHS notice read. “Sanctuary cities protect dangerous criminal aliens from facing consequences and put law enforcement in peril.”
The DHS sanctuary list included localities in 33 states and the District of Columbia. The Virginia sanctuary roster included 20 counties, 10 cities and three towns.
Law enforcement reacts
“I don’t know how we got put on that list,” Scott County Commonwealth’s Attorney Kyle Kilgore said Friday. “I don’t know that if it was something that was generated on some database or what. If you look at some of those places like Tazewell or Duffield, that’s not exactly sanctuary city.”
“I would agree with the sentiment,” Kilgore said of DHS’s definition of a sanctuary jurisdiction. “I can categorically say that we’re not a sanctuary city or county or locality. I think you can look at how Scott and Lee and Wise (counties) went in the last presidential election.”
“I have no idea why they have Duffield on there,” Scott County Sheriff Jeff Edds said Friday. “We’re not a sanctuary county or anything, so I don’t know where that came from.”
Edds echoed Kilgore’s reaction to the DHS sanctuary definition.
“We do what has to be done,” Edds said. “We cooperate any way we can.”
All three towns have one common link — they each house a Southwest Regional Jail Authority jail.
SWRJA Administrator Rick Alsbrook said he had not been contacted by DHS regarding Friday’s sanctuary designations.
“It’s exceptionally odd considering we have a contract with the U.S. Marshals Service that includes ICE,” Alsbrook said.
Congressional reaction
The region’s Congressional delegation questioned Friday’s DHS listing.
“The list is riddled with egregious errors — Martinsville isn’t a county and Duffield isn’t a city,” said Virginia Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine. “Coupled with the Department of Health and Human Services’ report this week that cites nonexistent studies, I’m concerned that the administration is turning to artificial intelligence to replace the work of dedicated civil servants that are being fired.”
“This is yet another reminder of why it’s important that agencies be staffed by experts,” said Kaine, “because putting inaccurate information out only sows chaos and confusion and puts commonsense solutions to real problems further out of reach.”
“This list is further proof that the Trump administration’s obsession with government efficiency is nothing but cheap talk,” Virginia Democratic Sen. Mark Warner said. “The White House should get its basic facts straight before attempting to come after Virginia’s localities and its hardworking public servants.”
“It is a surprising development to see some of our localities listed as ‘sanctuary jurisdictions’ by DHS,” said Ninth District Republican Congressman Morgan Griffith. “My office has been in contact with our liaisons in the federal government for an explanation and solution.”
Griffith said he had no “definitive answer” Friday to the DHS sanctuary designation.
“However, it appears that there may be some paperwork anomalies related to federal detainers, particularly at some regional jails,” said Griffith, adding that he hoped to have “specific answers” by next week.
DHS says …
The Times News asked DHS Friday:
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Who ordered the sanctuary designations, and under what specific criteria?
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When were the designations ordered?
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Were there specific incidents or series of incidents leading DHS to make the designations?
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What legal consequences do these localities face under these designations?
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Will there be a federal presence at the localities – Immigration Control and Enforcement, CBP or other federal agencies?
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Should localities’ residents expect searches, stops or other actions by federal, local and/or state law enforcement?
An unidentified DHS spokesperson replied by email: “Designation of a sanctuary jurisdiction is based on the evaluation of numerous factors, including self-identification as a sanctuary jurisdiction, noncompliance with Federal law enforcement in enforcing immigration laws, restrictions on information sharing, and legal protections for illegal aliens.”
“The list is actively reviewed, will be regularly updated, and can be changed at any time,” the DHS statement continued. “President Trump and (DHS Secretary Kristi) Noem have been clear: sanctuary jurisdictions should immediately cease violation of Federal law and cooperate with law enforcement.”
Online:
Department of Homeland Security — Sanctuary Jurisdictions Defying Federal Immigration Law | Homeland Security
Town of Abingdon Police Department — Sanctuary Jurisdictions Defying Federal Immigration Law | Homeland Security
Tazewell County, Virginia — Tazewell County, Virginia | Tazewell VA