Approximately 30 subscribers and friends of the Fairfax County Alliance met to discuss recent events in Minnesota, especially in relation to the intersection of Constitutional issues: freedom of speech and the rule of law. After a summary review of the topic and Braver Angels LAPP skills (Listen, Acknowledge, Pivot, Perspective) skills, participants split into four groups for a one-hour discussion. A suggested breakout group goal was to develop a draft message that could be conveyed to an elected representative about the activities of ICE and CPB agents. Each group chose someone to provide a summary report of their discussions and agreements.
Group 1.
We start with a preamble: these are not normal times. We’ll do our job as citizens and vote, although November may be too late. Congress, please do your job in the interim.
We suggest re/forming the bipartisan committee on immigration reform.
Start with short-range goals based on Constitutional principles, especially due process. We had difficulties in prioritizing the ten legislative actions requested by Democratic leaders Jeffries and Schumer to Republican leaders Thune and Johnson on February 4, 2026 (link), but those priorities in total should be reflective of best practices for law enforcement nationwide.
Require and monitor continuous reports to Congress with accountability measures in place.
Group 2.
The group agreed with the 10 legislative actions referred to above.
There was a discussion about the use of masks and body cameras by ICE and CBP agents. While acknowledging the threat of ‘doxxing’ of those agents, there’s agreement they shouldn’t be regulated differently than other groups of law enforcement agents.
Goals - who is being arrested, why and how - should be supported by data that is transparently collected and shared.
Regarding immigrants with temporary status, DHS should stop the termination of those mandated protections in a random manner and work with elected representatives to “fix” those status categories and find permanent solutions under due process.
Return to a process of immigration reform, especially providing administrative and personnel support for immigration courts.
Reinstate training policies and timeframes
Group 3
The immigration process itself is not broken; how it is applied is.
An immediate focus should be on detention centers.
Those should be created and maintained in areas where monitoring and support can be provided transparently, and not created or built in out-of-the-way places.
Detention centers should also be purpose-built to provide for actual needs, and not randomly (for example, using former corporate warehouses).
Group 4
We want to start with accountability and guidance. Guidance should be provided to all agents consistently, and they should be provided with sufficient training and be accountable for not following the guidelines/rules.
All agents should wear cameras and ‘name tags’ with legible ID numbers so that an individual can be identified by their agencies/employers if not the public.
States should again be able to sue federal agencies et al if and when states’ rights are infringed.
Individuals should be able to sue states.
Clear guidance should be provided related to protected spaces such as churches (and their leaders).
The use of administrative warrants should be fully vetted and not used as a workaround judicial warrants.
Finally, we demand that Congress restart the process for comprehensive immigration reform.