Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin prepares to unveil a controversial measure that could reshape the state's approach to immigration enforcement.
According to Fox News, the Republican governor will introduce a budget proposal that would ban sanctuary cities and make state funding contingent on local authorities' cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The proposed legislation would require local law enforcement and corrections officers to comply with ICE detainer requests for illegal immigrants. Additionally, they must notify federal authorities within two days of releasing any such individuals who pass through the justice system. Municipalities that declare themselves sanctuary cities or implement similar policies risk losing state funding allocated for their police departments.
Under the new proposal, the Department of Criminal Justice Services, led by Youngkin appointee and former Prince William County Officer Jackson Miller, would be responsible for withholding "599 Funding" from non-compliant jurisdictions. This move comes as a direct response to recent violent crimes allegedly committed by illegal immigrants in Virginia.
Youngkin, who faces term limits next year under Virginia's single-term policy, expressed his stance on the matter. He emphasized that Virginia is not a sanctuary state and warned local governments against pandering to pro-illegal immigrant groups.
According to Youngkin:
Criminals who are in the United States illegally will be turned over to ICE. We must stop the cycle of violence and crime that is being enabled by some local governments. Virginia is not a sanctuary state, and we must be clear that we will not allow localities to become 'sanctuary cities.'
The proposal follows several high-profile cases, including a sexual assault on a popular Herndon rail trail. Honduran national Denis Humberto Navarette-Romero was charged with intent to defile and rape a woman on the Old Dominion Trail shortly before Thanksgiving.
Critics have pointed to Fairfax County's sanctuary-type policies as problematic, noting that Navarette-Romero had previous arrests for auto theft and indecent exposure. The county's current policy, established by Sheriff Stacey Kincaid in 2018, requires ICE to provide both an administrative request and a legal criminal detainer to hold inmates past their release dates.
Statistics reveal that only three of 725 undocumented individuals in Fairfax custody between July 2023 and July 2024 were transferred to ICE, highlighting the limited cooperation between local and federal authorities.
Several Virginia jurisdictions have implemented policies limiting cooperation with ICE. Arlington County's board recently voted 4-1 to restrict police notification to ICE to cases involving gang members and serious crimes amid protesters chanting, "ICE Out Of Arlington!"
Alexandria has maintained a policy since 2007 that limits citizenship status inquiries to what is required by state and federal law. Similarly, Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney responded to Trump-era immigration policies by directing the city's police department to avoid ICE collaboration agreements. The Virginia Department of Corrections, however, has consistently recognized ICE detainers during Youngkin's administration, maintaining a different stance from some local jurisdictions.
Governor Glenn Youngkin's budget proposal aims to eliminate sanctuary city policies across Virginia by leveraging state funding as an enforcement mechanism. The measure would require local law enforcement to cooperate with federal immigration authorities or risk losing critical police department funding.
The proposal comes amid growing concerns over violent crimes allegedly committed by illegal immigrants and varying levels of cooperation between local jurisdictions and ICE. As Virginia grapples with these immigration enforcement challenges, the outcome of this budget proposal could significantly impact how localities handle immigration matters and their relationship with federal authorities.
