By Patrick Hurston
Recent immigration enforcement activity in Hardy County and surrounding areas has prompted concern, questions, and public response, following reports that a Moorefield High School student was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) earlier this month.
While details surrounding that individual case remain difficult to confirm, County officials acknowledge an increase in ICE activity in the region, including a new cooperation agreement between the Hardy County Sheriff’s Office and federal authorities.
At the Hardy County Commission’s Jan. 6 meeting, Sheriff Steven Dawson reported that members of the Potomac Highlands Drug Task Force, along with deputies from his office, assisted ICE in December with the apprehension of a wanted individual from Guatemala in Moorefield. Dawson later said that was among the first instances of direct, coordinated cooperation between his office and ICE, though not the first ICE arrest to occur in the County.
“That was in December,” Dawson said in a follow-up interview. “Once we apprehended him, we turned him over to ICE. That was the last we saw of him.”
Dawson also confirmed that the Hardy County Sheriff’s Office has entered into a formal Memorandum of Agreement with ICE under the federal 287(g) program, which allows certain local law enforcement officers, once trained and certified, to perform limited immigration enforcement functions under ICE supervision.
The agreement was signed on Dec. 15, 2025. Dawson said at least two deputies are participating, though he has opened it to any other deputies who wish to volunteer.
“It’ll work both directions,” Dawson said, describing how cooperation between his office and ICE would function. “Anytime we need them, or anytime they get information.”
According to the agreement, Hardy County deputies authorized under 287(g) may interrogate individuals about their immigration status, issue immigration detainers, execute immigration warrants, and transport detainees to ICE facilities.
While the Sheriff’s office is responsible for entering into such agreements, County officials say the Commission itself had no role in initiating the partnership.
Commission President Steven Schetrom said the Commission only learned of the agreement when Sheriff Steven Dawson reported it publicly earlier this month.
Schetrom said County officials have been informed nine people have been taken into custody in Hardy County since that time, based on information provided by staff and law enforcement.
“There’s the legal part, but there’s also the human side,” Schetrom said. “I can absolutely see both of those sides very clearly, and they’re both very important.”
The increased enforcement activity has drawn attention following reports that Rony Megia, an 18-year-old Moorefield High School student, was detained by ICE on Jan. 8 in Keyser.
Sheriff Dawson said his office was not involved in that detention and confirmed it did not occur in Hardy County. “The only thing I know is he was 18 years old. He was an adult,” Dawson said. “That’s all I know.”
Mineral County Sheriff Jeremy Whisner also said he could not confirm specifics of Megia’s arrest, noting that ICE and Homeland Security agents were conducting a broader statewide enforcement effort. Whisner said his deputies have assisted ICE primarily with transportation and have limited authority until full federal credentials are issued.
County officials said they have been told that some recent detentions in Hardy County involve individuals who missed required immigration check-ins, a situation they said can occur when people misunderstand or struggle to navigate the process.
The rapidly unfolding nature of recent enforcement activity, combined with information-sharing restrictions outlined in the cooperation agreement, has made it difficult to independently verify details of individual cases. Under the terms of the agreement, the sheriff’s office must coordinate with ICE before releasing information related to enforcement actions.
According to community members and Megia’s pastor, Moises Saravia, Megia was detained after leaving work in Keyser and is currently being held at the Moshannon Valley ICE Processing Center in Pennsylvania. Saravia said Megia has an immigration court appointment scheduled for Jan. 23 and has retained legal counsel, though attorney fees are expected to exceed $12,000. A GoFundMe campaign created for Megia’s legal fees has raised over $9,300 as on Jan. 15.
Concern over Megia’s detention led to a peaceful protest in Moorefield on Sunday, Jan. 11, organized by Fisher resident Caryn Bean. Despite sub-freezing temperatures, as many as 25 protesters gathered for nearly two hours to express solidarity and raise awareness.
“This really struck a chord with me about the destruction that breaking up families causes,” Bean said, noting Megia’s age as a turning point for her involvement.
Several participants shared personal stories. Chelsey and Luis Santiago said Luis has been in the United States for approximately 15 years and is currently in removal proceedings despite seeking asylum through legal channels. “With everything happening, it gets scarier to go through the process,” Luis Santiago said. “You start to question the fairness of it.”
Eli Baumwell, executive director of the ACLU of West Virginia, also attended the protest. “Free speech and the ability to assemble is the bedrock of this country,” Baumwell said. “When things are difficult and unpopular, it’s even more important to turn out.”
Capon Bridge resident Asghar Saidipour, who fled Iran during the 1979 revolution, said the current climate feels familiar. “What I am seeing here is what happened in the early days in Iran,” he said. “The government went after its most vulnerable first.”
A second protest was scheduled for Fri., Jan. 15 at the time of this writing.
Governor Patrick Morrisey has publicly expressed strong support for increased cooperation between state and federal law enforcement agencies on immigration enforcement, citing public safety concerns. Recent ICE operations across West Virginia have resulted in dozens of arrests, according to statements from the governor’s office.
The Migration Policy Institute estimates that there were approximately 7,000 unauthorized immigrants throughout the state of West Virginia as of the end of 2023.
U.S. Census data for 2024 indicates that Hardy County’s entire foreign-born population, which would include those who have received citizenship through naturalization, was only approximately 200 individuals.
According to the Department of Homeland Security’s U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services website, foreign nationals of 15 countries have been designated for Temporary Protected Status (TPS), which provides temporary protection from removal for eligible nationals. Since Nov. 2025, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem has terminated eight of those, and as of Feb. 3, TPS will be terminated for Haitians.
Consistent with ICE’s expanded operations across the country and state, Sheriff Dawson said ICE officials have indicated plans to establish a permanent office in the Eastern Panhandle, though he does not expect it to be located in Hardy County, and no timeline has been announced.
As ICE activity continues and local deputies move toward certification under the 287(g) agreement, some residents say clarity and transparency will be critical.
“This is about people’s lives,” protester Melinda Turner said. “Whether people are legally here or not, they deserve due process.”
For now, questions surrounding the Moorefield student’s detention remain largely unanswered, underscoring the challenges local officials, families, and residents face as federal enforcement expands into rural West Virginia.
While area resources are limited, those in need of support may wish to contact the Hardy County Adult Learning Center in Moorefield at (304) 530-6076. The Center offers free English as a Second Language (ESL) instruction. Those seeking legal assistance may wish to contact Catholic Charities Refugee Resettlement & Immigration Services by calling (304) 343-1036 or emailing immigration@ccwva.org. A broad range of services is available including help with asylum; family-based petitions; removal hearings; temporary protected status, and more.
