Faith leaders and community members across Northern Virginia came together Tuesday night in Alexandria to show support for immigrant families amid what organizers described as an escalation of federal immigration enforcement.
The vigil, held at Four Mile Run Park Plaza, was organized by Tenants and Workers United, Virginians Organized for Interfaith Community Engagement (VOICE) and Community Lodgings. Participants prayed, held candles, sang and stood together as a demonstration of solidarity.
The event was sparked by recent enforcement actions, including construction workers arrested on the first day of school and an individual detained at a local bus stop. Residents of the Chirilagua neighborhood have also reported repeated U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity.
For immigrant families, the anxiety is real.
David Lagos, a sophomore at Alexandria City High School, who has worked with Tenants and Workers United for five years, said Tuesday night, “Of course I’m scared. I’m scared they’ll go after my family. I know I’m OK, but I don’t want my family getting hurt.”
Evelin Urrutia, the executive director with TWU, said the gathering was about courage and action as much as it was prayer.
“What we are telling people is just to be careful. Get to know your neighbors. Coordinate when you’re doing something so everyone knows what is happening. Join organizations. Join your neighbors. Get to know who lives next to you, just be more informed and more aware,” Urrutia advised.
Organizers said the work continues, with faith groups and civic organizations pledging to push for stronger protections for immigrant families in Alexandria and across the region. Additionally, TWU is advising residents to alert them to any increased ICE activity in the area.
“Look around and support each other. We are living in difficult times where the community has had to come together and create a safe space for all of us,” Urrutia said.
“We should be together as a community, and we should speak up for what is right,” Lagos added.