Hey everyone,
Thank you all who participated in Friday’s Day of Action. This Saturday, the contract was set to automatically renew. However, an email reply sent by the NRJDC Superintendent revealed that “A temporary 30 day extension was signed until the end of March”.
What does this mean?
The pressure is on! We have 30 MORE DAYS to let the board know that ICE has no place in our community. Similar contracts have ended on the West Coast through public pressure, so we know this is a doable goal. Now is the time to continue mobilizing. Hence we are calling for 30 DAYS OF ACTION to stop the NRJDC contract with ICE.
What you can do!
We want to empower our communities and give them a voice in this crucial decision. Whether it's speaking at your local government, calling your Commission Rep, or protesting, we have 30 days to let the Commission know that we want ICE OUT. If you are a resident of City of Winchester or Frederick, Clarke, Warren, Paige, Shenandoah Counties, here’s how you can participate in WEEK 1 of our 30 DAYS OF ACTION!
- Commission Call Out: Call or email your NRJDC rep and let them know that you oppose the ICE contract at the NRJDC. They have a script ready. To see some of their talking points, please scroll below.
- Pack City Council/BoS: Leave a public comment or attend your local government's next City Council/Board of Supervisors Meeting. Show them what your community stands for, and urge them to terminate any current and future ICE contracts in your locality.
- Share the Petition: While ICE is not committing the same type of violence we see Minnesota or Chicago, it's still happening right in our backyard. Share the petition with friends and family and let them know that ICE does not belong in the Shenandoah Valley (Change.org/ICE-FreeValley).
Here is the schedule for our Week 1 of our 30 Days of Action.
MONDAY: Commission Call Out
TUESDAY:
- Commission Call Out
- City of Winchester @ 6pm
- Shenandoah Co. BoS @ 7pm
WEDNESDAY:
- Commission Call Out
- Frederick Co. BoS @ 7pm
THURSDAY: Commission Call Out
FRIDAY:
- Commission Call Out
- Regime protest w/Jennifer @3pm (Winchester)
As you may have noticed, a lot of the offices refused to respond to our demands of shutting the NRJDC contract with ICE. This is what the system does, they deflect, and they lay low to avoid responding to the public. We need to remind them that they have a responsibility with the community, and if the community wants ICE OUT, they have to KEEP ICE OUT! Hope to see everyone join us this week.
Best,
🫶 Valleys Without Borders 🫶
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Common Talking Points from City Officials or NRJDC
“The NRJDC is a nice facility with excellent schooling, medical facilities, and clean rooms"
- Happy to hear the conditions of the facility are beyond adequate; however the facility itself is not the issue. The issue is that the facility is operating as a service provider for ICE, facilitating their actions.
“The NRJDC only houses the worst of the worst, the residents brought by ICE are criminals are charged with rape, sodomy, grand theft, etc”
- As of Feb. 6, 2026, about 73.7% of immigrants detained by ICE hold no criminal convictions, but rather minor offenses such as traffic violations. (Source: TRAC Immigration). How do we know the ICE officer has falsely accused the kid of a criminal conviction. And if they have committed a crime, why are these children brought to Winchester instead of being held at a local juvenile facility?
“The contract helps pay for the facility’s expenses”
- While there is a financial incentive to the NRJDC, we are still paying for this as federal taxpayers. Why should the NRJDC profit off of the horrors of ICE?
“Do you want children going somewhere much worse?”
- We want children to be with their families, not separated hundreds of miles from their support systems. As residents we have no control over what’s happening across the country in private prisons. We should have a say in how our municipal juvenile detention center monetarily benefits from ICE’s actions.
“If not here then where”
- We do not have a say in what happens in private prisons across the country, but we should have a say in what happens in our municipal juvenile detention centers and whether they cooperate and facilitate ICE’s actions. This is the last remaining contract of its type in the country.
“The Meeting Minutes are on the website”
- The meeting minutes available on the City of Winchester website lack any information on the Commission’s actions or decisions. Here is an example from the VA Board of Juvenile Justice. Compare it to the NRJDC’s last meeting minutes. There is a lack of transparency on the board’s decisions regarding immigrant youth detention.
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CALL TO ACTION SCRIPT
Good morning/afternoon/evening
I am a resident of [County/City]. I was made aware that the NRJDC has had a contract with ICE wherein they receive funds for four beds (regardless of use), and that the contract is up for renewal this February.
I am concerned for the safety of our community. The behavior of ICE/DHS/CBP on the streets and the treatment of detainees has repeatedly demonstrated anything but professional law enforcement, any and all support to them must be terminated immediately.
It's imperative that the leadership in our community takes a stand against this violence. As a member of the NRJDC Commission, I ask that [REPRESENTATIVE].
- Ends the renewal of the commission's agreement with ICE.
- Supports ending all current and future agreements with ICE in the [COUNTY/CITY].
- Publicly reaffirms their commitment to keep [COUNTY/CITY]'s immigrant communities safe.
Anything less, in my view, is complicity with the ongoing violence in our country.
Thank you.
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REGIONAL JAIL COMMISSION MEMBERS
NRJDC
Superintendent - Ms. Erin Maloney
- maloneye@nrjdc.com
- 540-722-6174
City of Winchester
Commission Chairman - Larry T. Omps
- larry@ompsfuneralhome.com
- (540) 662-6633
Commission Vice Chairwoman, Fiscal Agent - Mary Blowe
- Mary.blowe@winchesterva.gov
Frederick County
Regional Jail Board - Sheriff Lenny Millholand
- lmillholland@fcva.us
Alternate - Mr. Robert W. Wells
- 540-669-8782
- rwells@fcva.us
Clarke County
Member - Sheriff Travis Sumption
- tsumption@clarkecounty.gov
- 540-955-5153
Alternate - Mr. Doug Shaffer
- dshaffer@clarkecounty.gov
- (540) 277-7759
Page County
Alternate - Major Steve Owens
- (540) 843-3348
- sowens@pagesheriff.com
Shenandoah County
Member - Mr. Evan Vass
- evass@shenandoahcountyva.us
Warren County
Member - Sheriff Crystal Cline
- ccline@warrencountysheriff.org