Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger on Wednesday formally ended the commonwealth’s participation in a federal immigration enforcement program, directing state law enforcement agencies to terminate all agreements that deputize them to assist U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The move marks a sharp policy reversal from the previous administration and underscores a broader debate over the role of local and state police in civil immigration enforcement.
In an executive directive signed Tuesday, Spanberger ordered the Virginia State Police, the Virginia Department of Corrections, the Virginia Conservation Police and the Virginia Marine Police to withdraw from Section 287(g) agreements with ICE. Those agreements, created under federal law, authorize state officers to act under ICE supervision to question, detain and transport immigrants suspected of civil immigration violations.
“These agreements improperly ceded discretion and authority over Virginia law enforcement to federal authorities,” Spanberger said in a statement. “Virginia law enforcement officers are safer and more effective when exercising their authority under Virginia law, focused on community policing and public safety.”
Spanberger’s directive builds on a series of actions she took soon after her Jan. 17 inauguration, including rescinding a 2025 executive order issued by her predecessor, Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin, that had mandated state participation in the 287(g) program and encouraged local agencies to join. While the earlier order eliminated the requirement, it did not automatically dissolve existing agreements — a gap the new directive closes.
The governor also signed a separate executive order establishing statewide principles and priorities for law enforcement, aimed at strengthening public trust, emphasizing professionalism, and discouraging what her administration calls “fear-based policing.” That order directs agencies to review policies and training practices for alignment with constitutional policing standards.
Spanberger pledged that the directive will not hinder cooperation between state and federal authorities when a judicial warrant is involved, nor will it affect participation in joint task forces unrelated to immigration enforcement. “Any time there is a judicial warrant in hand, state and local law enforcement should be — and is expected to be — cooperating with other agencies that might need their assistance,” her office said.
The decision drew strong reactions across the political spectrum.
Republican lawmakers criticized the move as a threat to public safety. State Sen. Glen Sturtevant, R-Chesterfield County, said Spanberger is putting “politics over public safety,” arguing that cooperation with federal agents has helped remove criminal undocumented immigrants from communities. House Minority Leader Terry Kilgore, R-Scott County, said ending the agreements “cuts off cooperation that helped law enforcement remove dangerous criminals.”
U.S. Rep. John McGuire, R-Goochland County, also condemned the order, saying it “sets a dangerous precedent” that could endanger Virginians and hinder law enforcement efforts.
Supporters, including immigrant rights advocates and Democratic leaders, praised the governor’s directive as a step toward ensuring law enforcement focuses on core duties and rebuilding trust within diverse communities. Monica Sarmiento, executive director of the Virginia Coalition for Immigrant Rights, said the agreements had “deputized state agencies into carrying out a federal detention and deportation agenda” that undermined public safety.
The executive directive affects only state agencies; local law enforcement, including county sheriffs’ offices that have independently entered 287(g) agreements, are not covered and could maintain their own arrangements with ICE unless they choose otherwise.
Spanberger’s action signals a notable shift in Virginia’s approach to immigration enforcement and reflects ongoing national debates over the roles of states and localities in federal immigration policy.
