A coalition of progressive prosecutors including Arlington’s commonwealth’s attorney is promising to share strategies and pursue accountability for any illegal actions by federal agents.
Commonwealth’s Attorney Parisa Dehghani-Tafti — alongside Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano and prosecutors from Minneapolis, Philadelphia and other jurisdictions — announced the Fight Against Federal Overreach (FAFO) project yesterday (Wednesday). The initiative aims to “rein in unlawful conduct” amid a growing presence of federal immigration and law enforcement in communities across the country.
“Their actions in Minnesota, Illinois, California, Arizona, Maine and more — they are sending the message, we can take over your neighborhoods and occupy your streets whenever we want … We’re here to tell you it doesn’t work that way,” Dehghani-Tafti said at a press conference. “It’s not right, it’s undemocratic, it’s un-American.”
The initiative comes as Virginia lawmakers including Del. Alfonso Lopez (D-3) advance several pieces of legislation intended to place restrictions on federal immigration enforcement following the deaths of Minneapolis residents Renee Good and Alex Pretti, who were shot and killed by immigration officers while protesting their presence. State and federal agencies have since argued about who is responsible for the scenes of the shootings, and whether or not state-level charges can be brought against the officers involved.
Dehghani-Tafti was among several local officials who spoke at a rally in Courthouse earlier this month in protest of Good’s death.
“The coalition launches amid growing concerns about warrantless entries, unlawful detentions, and coercive enforcement tactics by federal agents, and it’s intended to ensure that constitutional limits on federal power are actively enforced through lawful institutions,” a press release says.
Dehghani-Tafti said that the initiative is intended to reclaim power from federal forces that “do what [they] want with complete impunity.”
“It doesn’t matter what badge you’re wearing … you serve the public, you respect constitutional rights, and you follow the law,” she said. “When you don’t, we will hold you accountable.”
In Virginia, for example, it is a felony to wear a face covering in a public place “so as to conceal the identity of the wearer.” Though that charge is commonly levied against robbers and trespassers, it could potentially be used to prosecute immigration officers, who now routinely wear masks and sometimes forgo uniforms or badges.
A bill proposed by state Sen. Saddam Salim (D-37) would specifically ban state and federal law enforcement officers from wearing face coverings while performing their duties. The bill was referred to the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee yesterday.
“The coalition will share strategies and best practices among prosecutors, provide regular public updates on efforts to rein in unlawful federal conduct and educate the public on what paths are legally available, and coordinate on accountability efforts across jurisdictions,” the FAFO press release says.
If any new restrictions are adopted in Virginia, the new FAFO coalition would presumably help ensure they’re enforced.
“All law enforcement agencies operating in our communities are subject to the rule of law, no matter the acronym on your jacket,” Dehghani-Tafti said. “If you break the law, we have the jurisdiction, the authority, the power, and we need no one’s permission to investigate, charge and prosecute you, and we will do so because we care about our communities, we care about our country, and we care about our democracy.”
The participating prosecutors are planning to meet in early February “to share strategies for pushing back against the lawless actions of federal forces in states and cities around the country,” according to a press release.
“When federal agents exceed their lawful authority, local prosecutors have both the power and the duty to act,” District Attorney of Philadelphia Larry Krasner said. “The project exists to ensure that accountability is real, coordinated and enforced through lawful institutions.”
