Arlington Officials Urge Residents to Call 911 When Seeing ICE

County Board Chair and Member Encourage Reporting ICE Presence to Local Police

Jan. 27, 2026 at 7:15pm

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Democratic Arlington County Board Chair Matt de Ferranti and Board Member Takis Karantonis have encouraged residents to call 911 when they see Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers in their neighborhoods. The officials say this will help local law enforcement better respond to the presence of federal immigration authorities.

Why it matters

The move by Arlington officials comes amid growing tensions between local governments and federal immigration enforcement, with some Democrats calling for limits on ICE's activities. The 911 call policy is seen as a way for the county to monitor ICE's presence and potentially intervene to "protect our neighbors and reduce harm."

The details

During a recent county board meeting, de Ferranti and Karantonis urged residents to contact emergency services when they spot ICE officers in Arlington. De Ferranti said this would help local police "know when ICE is in Arlington so we can better pursue Arlington County's law enforcement mission, preventing violence in our community." Karantonis agreed, arguing that 911 calls were the "best solution" to address the "collateral consequences" of ICE's presence, citing past incidents where residents had medical emergencies after ICE operations.

  • The Arlington County Board meeting where the 911 call policy was announced took place on Saturday, January 25, 2026.

The players

Matt de Ferranti

The Democratic Chair of the Arlington County Board.

Takis Karantonis

A Democratic member of the Arlington County Board.

Gregg Kurasz

A retired Arlington County Police Department officer who opposed the 911 call policy.

Renee Good

A civilian who was fatally shot by an ICE agent after hitting the officer with her car, referenced by de Ferranti during the board meeting.

Jason Crow

A Democratic U.S. Representative from Colorado who has spoken out against ICE.

John Fetterman

A Democratic U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania who has rejected calls to defund or abolish ICE.

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What they’re saying

“To be clear, the law prohibits our public safety professionals and all of us from interfering with the enforcement of federal immigration law. That said our responsibility is not just to follow the law but to do everything possible within it to protect our neighbors and reduce harm. That means working together to call 911 when we see ICE in our community.”

— Matt de Ferranti, Arlington County Board Chair (dailycaller.com)

“Calling 911 is important because it helps us know when ICE is in Arlington so we can better pursue Arlington County's law enforcement mission, preventing violence in our community.”

— Matt de Ferranti, Arlington County Board Chair (dailycaller.com)

“There is nothing in the nation that suggests to me that something very bad will happen when these people [ICE officers] show up, not only directly because of their actions but also for the collateral consequences. We had people having heart attack[s] here because somebody three doors down the stairs, down stairs in a building has kicked in a door. So 911 is the best solution right now.”

— Takis Karantonis, Arlington County Board Member (dailycaller.com)

What’s next

The Arlington County Board will likely continue to monitor the implementation of the 911 call policy and its impact on the community's relationship with federal immigration enforcement.

The takeaway

The Arlington County officials' call for residents to report ICE's presence reflects the ongoing tensions between local governments and federal immigration authorities, with some Democrats seeking ways to limit ICE's activities within their communities.