Arlington County Board members unanimously approved $2,000 payments from public funds to relatives of people taken into custody by immigration officers. They created a $50,000 pool for housing, food, and utilities and decided not to require proof that the detained earner had legal work status. Arlington Thrive will issue the money; that group is backed by the Washington Forest Foundation, the Kaiser Foundation, and United Way.

The board took the step at its September 2 meeting after an August enforcement push in the Washington area that produced more than 1,300 arrests. Former acting ICE director and prosecutor Jonathan Fahey said the arrangement may violate a federal law against encouraging unlawful presence and could draw more unauthorized residents, raising further costs for local taxpayers.