Gov. Spanberger's executive order is the first step to make sure Virginia law enforcement is not a tool for ICE

RICHMOND, Va. -- Following Governor Abigail Spanberger’s executive order to end a directive to Virginia State Police (VSP) and Virginia Department of Corrections (VDOC) to perform federal civil immigration responsibilities, ACLU of Virginia Executive Director Mary Bauer released the following statement:

“It is not the job of Virginia’s law enforcement agencies to carry out the Trump administration’s brutal and fear-based anti-immigrant agenda. Governor Spanberger’s executive order recognizes that blurring the line between Virginia law enforcement and federal immigration agents not only diverts Virginia resources away from public safety priorities, but erodes public trust by terrorizing communities and breaking apart families.

“And this executive order is just the start: to make the governor’s vision of a Commonwealth where all Virginians are safe into a reality, the governor must terminate the state’s existing 287(g) agreements, and Virginia lawmakers must deliver meaningful legislation to her desk to protect Virginians’ private data and sensitive places like courthouses and schools from immigration enforcement. Together, Virginia’s leaders have the power to get state and local police out of federal civil immigration enforcement once and for all.”