The Virginia Supreme Court today made clear in Neal v. Fairfax, a case brought by the ACLU-VA against the Fairfax County Police Department, that random mass surveillance by law enforcement agencies is not exempt from the requirements of Virginia’s Government Data Collection and Dissemination Act.

Virginia should welcome newcomers and promote cooperation between immigrants and local police; not create fear of detention and removal for coming forward to report crimes. For these reason, the ACLU of Virginia urges Governor Northam to veto HB 1257.

The organizations listed below support an increase in Virginia’s felony larceny threshold but oppose the so-called bipartisan compromise that traded an increase in the threshold for passage of legislation enhancing the enforcement of restitution orders entered in criminal cases.

Today, Fairfax County Sheriff Stacey Kincaid announced that she would terminate the Intergovernmental Service Agreement (IGSA) with U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on May 23, 2018. The following statement can be attributed to our Executive Director Claire G. Gastañaga:

The ACLU-VA’s white paper recommends 10 guiding principles for permitting public gatherings that would meet constitutional standards for any public forum, including the Lee Monument and Capitol Square as well as public spaces in localities.

The ACLU of Virginia sent a letter today to the Virginia State Crime Commission expressing its opposition to the possible expansion of the list of misdemeanors for which DNA collection from offenders would be mandatory upon conviction.