‘Everyone is in jeopardy’: Henrico leader warns about reported ICE activity across county, door-to-door visits

HENRICO COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- A Henrico County leader is warning residents about reports of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity in the county, including reports of agents going door-to-door.

On Friday, Jan. 16, Misty Roundtree -- the vice chair of the Henrico County Board of Supervisors -- posted a Facebook reel in which she said she has "heard the reports and seen videos of increased ICE activity" in Henrico.

She said these reports are coming from all around the county, but particularly its Three Chopt district and Short Pump area.

"Now, I am not about fearmongering at all -- but I am about awareness," she said.

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In general, ICE may be visiting the Short Pump area in particular because it is home to "perhaps the largest immigrant population in the county," according to Roundtree.

"And as we know, ICE doesn't particularly care about the details," she said. "They don't necessarily care about what country someone is from, whether [or not] they own a home here or a business here, [or] whether [or not] they have been upstanding members of the community, like the overwhelmingly vast majority of immigrants in this county [and in Three Chopt] are. They just are looking to see who doesn't look like they were born here, doesn't look like they have the right skin tone, perhaps have an accent."

Roundtree encouraged residents to know their rights. Though she's not heard about this in Three Chopt yet, to Roundtree's understanding, ICE agents are going door-to-door in some parts of the county.

"Gentle reminder: You do not have to open your door for ICE unless they have a judicial warrant," Roundtree said. "They may show you a paper that looks like a warrant, it may say 'ICE Warrant' up top -- but judicial warrants have to have a judge's signature on them. That's what makes them judicial and that is the only way that they are able to enter your home."

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If the ICE agents at your door don't have a warrant signed by a judge, "you have every right to decline them entry into your home, and you should," Roundtree said.

ICE agents are allowed to approach anyone in public and strike up a conversation. However, they cannot force you to show them any documentation or tell them anything about your legal status.

It's strongly reccomended that you not run away from ICE agents, as your fleeing can sometimes be used as justification for arrest. Roundtree acknowledged that this can be hard to remember in the moment when you're battling the instinct to get away, but stories of a 6-month-old being tear-gassed by ICE show that fleeing can have serious consequences.

"[ICE] activity is just dangerous in general, regardless of whether you are somebody that you think may personally be targeted," Roundtree said.

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Roundtree said that "everyone is in jeopardy" when it comes to this apparent increase in ICE activity.

"What we've seen is that folks [who] are trying to be Good Samaritans or legal observers or things like that are also at risk here," she added.

Roundtree emphasized that Henrico residents must remain vigilant and ensure that "we've got our phones handy."

"So that, if we see behavior that is illegal, criminal, dangerous, what have you, that we are able to make documentation of it," she said. "Because that is going to be critically important as we try to figure out where we go from here."

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Roundtree cautioned residents from assuming that everyone in a uniform is working in immigration enforcement. The Henrico County Police Division does not have a standing agreement to participate in daily ICE operations, as some other agencies both in Virginia and across America do.

"Henrico Police is focused on keeping our residents safe from everybody and whatever threat that they pose," Roundtree said.

Roundtree said that she is working to learn more about this apparent ICE activity, which she hopes will not progress any further than it has.

She asked that residents continue to share information on ICE's movements both with county leaders and with their neighbors, advising that everyone "document, record [and] look out for one another."

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"I'm calling upon all of us in Henrico that care about one another -- which, hopefully, is everybody -- to care about one another, whether you think you or your family is at risk, specifically, for being detained or deported [or not]," Roundtree said. "This is dangerous and risky and unamerican, frankly, for all of us."

For more on immigration enforcement in Central Virginia, click here.