Virginia's attorney general launched a civil rights probe into a county sheriff who helped ICE detain 49 people.
Democratic AG Jay Jones sent a letter on August 5th informing Greene County Sheriff Steven Smith that his office is under investigation for the way it conducted traffic stops, according to reports. The whole thing stems from a June 23rd operation in Ruckersville where sheriff's deputies teamed up with Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to pull over vehicles near Routes 29 and 33. Around 49 individuals were detained.
Here's where it gets spicy. That joint operation happened just eight days before a brand new Virginia law kicked in on July 1st restricting local cops from cooperating with federal immigration authorities. So Smith and his team technically got the operation done right under the wire.
Jones hasn't filed any criminal charges. Let's be crystal clear about that. This is a civil inquiry, not a prosecution. His office says it reviewed allegations that the sheriff's department "may be conducting traffic stops in violation of state law and the Constitution." The AG's team requested a mountain of documents, including traffic stop policies, immigration enforcement procedures, a full decade of training materials, and any communications involving federal agencies.
WJLA reporter Nick Minock broke the letter on Friday and characterized Jones as "going after" the sheriff for his cooperation with ICE.
Sheriff Smith is not backing down one inch. He told C-VILLE Weekly that his deputies pulled people over for totally ordinary reasons, listing speeding, crossing the center line, swerving, and blowing through red lights. Photos from the scene reportedly showed federal personnel alongside individuals wearing sheriff's office gear at multiple locations.
Smith also delivered one of the most defiant quotes you'll see from a local official. "Sheriffs are elected officials. We don't answer to the governor. We answer to the citizens of the counties we live in," he declared. He added that he believed every deputy involved had obtained the necessary federal certification, though he admitted he wasn't 100 percent certain about each one.
The political heat was already building before Jones even sent his letter. The ACLU of Virginia jumped in after the June arrests, accusing local officers of coordinating with ICE to "terrorize and racially profile" communities. They publicly urged the attorney general to hold local law enforcement accountable.
Under Virginia's Section 2.2-511.1, the AG's Office of Civil Rights can investigate alleged patterns of police conduct that might deprive individuals of their protected rights. If the inquiry finds something, Jones could pursue a conciliation agreement or file a civil lawsuit. But no court has ruled that Smith or any of his deputies did anything unlawful.
Smith made it abundantly clear he's not changing course. "We were sworn to uphold the law and to protect our citizens," he told reporters while standing behind the ICE operation. "And that's what I will continue to do. Put that in your story."
So there you have it. A small county sheriff and the state's top lawyer are now locked in a political showdown over immigration enforcement. No charges, no lawsuit yet, but plenty of fireworks. Stay tuned.
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