No one showed up to a National Night Out event at a Fairfax County school because residents feared ICE agents might be present, Board of Supervisors Chair Jeff McKay said.

McKay spoke Wednesday, Aug. 26, at the 11th Annual Northern Virginia Regional Elected Leaders Summit at George Mason University in Arlington, Patch reported. He said federal immigration enforcement is driving residents into hiding and weakening trust in local police.

The tensions have a direct Reston connection. In December 2025, a homicide at a home on Fan Shell Court prompted a public clash after DHS said Fairfax County did not honor an ICE detainer for the suspect. DHS said local officials "have blood on their hands," according to The Reston Letter.

McKay described the empty National Night Out event at a school that was also serving as a polling place during a primary election. Information had circulated suggesting ICE agents might be at the school because of the polling activity. Police arrived to find no one there.

"An entire community went into hiding on the night designed to build relationships with law enforcement," McKay said.

He argued that Fairfax County solves crimes because residents, regardless of immigration status, come forward and cooperate with investigators. Fear is breaking that relationship, he said.

Police chief calls trust 'fragile'

Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis, asked about McKay's remarks, said he had not heard the chairman's comments and did not directly endorse or reject the conclusion. He distinguished local police work from federal immigration enforcement.

But Davis said trust between police and the community is fragile and that he would not want any level of government to damage that relationship.

"I wouldn't want any other aspect of government, whether it's federal, state or local, to do anything to deteriorate the quality of our relationship with any community, to include the immigrant community, because that relationship is important to us," Davis said.

Davis noted Fairfax County hosted 144 National Night Out events this year. He said the department wants every resident to feel confident calling 911 without hesitation.

ICE arrested 1,328 in Virginia, Maryland operation

The remarks came two days after the Department of Homeland Security announced that ICE arrested 1,328 people in Virginia and Maryland during "Operation Safe Community" from Aug. 1 through Aug. 14. DHS said almost 400 of those arrested had been convicted of or charged with crimes, according to WJLA.

DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin accused "sanctuary politicians" in Virginia and Maryland of putting undocumented immigrants ahead of public safety.

Fairfax County's Public Trust and Confidentiality Policy, adopted in 2021, prohibits county staff from sharing a person's citizenship status with federal immigration agents unless required by law or a court order. The Board of Supervisors rejected a proposal to review the policy in March 2026, according to FFXnow.

Separately, on Aug. 10, a masked ICE agent drew a gun on a woman in a Bailey's Crossroads parking lot near the Fairfax-Arlington border, FFXnow reported. Congressional Democrats launched an investigation into the incident.

Fairfax County Sheriff Stacey Kincaid has said her office notifies ICE when an undocumented person is booked into the Adult Detention Center and does not prevent federal agents from acting on civil requests.

No follow-up action or scheduled vote on the county's immigration policies has been announced.