In a major shift in Virginia’s immigration policy, Governor Abigail Spanberger directed the state’s law enforcement agencies to end their formal cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on February 4, 2026. This directive, issued in early February 2026, terminates the state’s involvement in 287(g) agreements. These agreements previously authorized state or local officers to enforce civil immigration law under the supervision of federal immigration authorities.
Spanberger’s order applies to agencies including the Virginia State Police and the Virginia Department of Corrections. Her administration said the change is intended to keep state officers focused on state criminal law while rebuilding trust between law enforcement and immigrant communities.
“I think it’s extraordinarily important to make sure that we are celebrating, and honoring and recognizing the strong vetting, the strong training, and the incredibly high standards that here in the commonwealth of Virginia, we hold our law enforcement agencies to,” Spanberger said to reporters at the State Capitol.
The move does not prevent ICE agents from operating in Virginia. Federal officers can still carry out immigration enforcement actions independently anywhere in the state.
Instead, the change stops state agencies from acting as ICE deputies in civil immigration matters. Some local sheriff’s offices may still maintain their own agreements unless state law or local policy changes separately.
Spanberger also rescinded guidance issued by former governor Glenn Youngkin that had encouraged broader cooperation with federal immigration authorities.
