Virginia LULAC Applauds Governor Spanberger’s Action Ending Virginia’s ICE 287(g) Agreements
- Virginia LULAC
- Feb 6
- 3 min read
February 6, 2026
Virginia LULAC celebrates the decisive action taken by Governor Abigail Spanberger to fundamentally reshape how law enforcement in the Commonwealth of Virginia engages with federal immigration authorities. Governor Spanberger’s executive directive ending Virginia’s participation in Section 287(g) immigration enforcement agreements demonstrates a clear commitment to protecting all Virginians, strengthening community trust in law enforcement, and upholding constitutional values.
On February 4, 2026, Governor Spanberger signed an executive directive directing all state law enforcement agencies including the Virginia State Police, Virginia Department of Corrections, Virginia Conservation Police, and Virginia Marine Police, to terminate any and all existing cooperation agreements with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) under the federal 287(g) program. These agreements had allowed state officers to be placed under federal supervision to participate in civil immigration enforcement, effectively deputizing Virginia law enforcement officers as federal agents.
The 287(g) agreements were initially established and expanded under former Governor Glenn Youngkin’s administration, significantly increasing Virginia’s involvement in federal immigration enforcement. These policies raised serious concerns among community advocates regarding public safety priorities, the diversion of limited state resources, and the erosion of trust between law enforcement and immigrant communities across the Commonwealth.
In addition to terminating these agreements, Governor Spanberger also issued Executive Order 12, which establishes guiding principles for law enforcement in Virginia. These principles emphasize the preservation of human life, the protection of constitutional rights, effective crime investigation, and a clear rejection of fear-based policing practices or enforcement actions that discourage residents from seeking help or reporting crimes.
Governor Spanberger has clarified that while the 287(g) agreements are ending, cooperation between state law enforcement and federal partners may still occur in limited and clearly defined circumstances, such as when presented with a valid judicial warrant or through participation in broader criminal law enforcement task forces. What has ended is the routine deputization of Virginia officers for civil immigration enforcement.
The Governor’s decision has generated a range of responses across the Commonwealth. Supporters argue that ending the agreements will help rebuild trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve, while allowing officers to focus on core public safety responsibilities without conflating routine policing with federal immigration enforcement. Critics, including some Republican lawmakers, contend that the change could reduce information sharing with federal partners and complicate efforts to remove individuals deemed dangerous from Virginia.
Virginia LULAC stands firmly in support of Governor Spanberger’s leadership, recognizing that state law enforcement exists to protect all community members particularly those who have long experienced fear, uncertainty, or mistrust due to the overlap of civil immigration enforcement and local policing. When immigrants, families, and residents are afraid to interact with law enforcement, public safety suffers and community trust erodes.
However, there is still more work to be done. Virginia LULAC reaffirms its commitment to ending all ICE agreements within the Commonwealth and to ensuring that these protections are permanently codified in Virginia law. We strongly support SB 783, HB 1438, and HB 1441, and urge their inclusion in the Virginia Code to prevent future abuses of power and ensure that these policies cannot be quietly reinstated by future administrations.
Virginia LULAC further affirms that decisions regarding participation in federal immigration enforcement agreements must be handled at the state level, not on a locality-by-locality basis. Immigration enforcement policy should not depend on ZIP code or political climate, it must reflect consistent, statewide standards rooted in constitutional governance and human dignity.
Ending mandatory cooperation with federal civil immigration enforcement under 287(g) restores law enforcement’s focus on crime prevention, constitutional protections, and equitable justice for all people living in Virginia. Virginia LULAC remains committed to advocating for civil rights, human dignity, and the constitutional protections of every person, and urges continued engagement, vigilance, and advocacy to ensure these principles are upheld throughout the Commonwealth.
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About Virginia LULAC
Virginia LULAC is the state chapter of the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), the nation’s oldest and largest Latino civil rights advocacy organization. Our mission is to advance the economic condition, educational attainment, political influence, health, housing, and civil rights of Hispanic Americans in the Commonwealth of Virginia and beyond.
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