Spanberger Defends End to State 287(g) Deal, Denies Virginia Is ‘Sanctuary State’ Amid ICE Clash
Gov. Abigail Spanberger defended her February directive rescinding the state’s 287(g) agreement, saying “Virginia is not a sanctuary state — full stop,” and clarifying the order bars state agencies like the State Police from entering into 287(g) pacts while allowing localities to do so; she also said the Department of Corrections continues to send monthly lists of noncitizens, joint task force cooperation remains intact, and Virginia will assist ICE when presented with judicial warrants. White House border adviser Tom Homan warned that restricting jail cooperation could prompt more ICE street operations, a Washington Post–Schar School poll showed 46% disapprove of Spanberger’s job performance, and a separate bill on her desk would further limit 287(g) participation absent judge‑signed warrants.
📌 Key Facts
- Tom Homan, the White House border czar, told Fox News Digital that if Gov. Abigail Spanberger continues limiting cooperation with ICE he is prepared to "send more teams into the streets" in Virginia.
- Homan contrasted Virginia with Minnesota, saying that after he was sent to Minneapolis he secured greater cooperation from county jails, which he said reduced public-safety risks.
- Spanberger issued an executive directive in early February rescinding Virginia’s state-level 287(g) program created under former Gov. Glenn Youngkin and cutting off collaboration between state agencies and ICE; she says the directive bars the Virginia State Police and other state agencies from entering 287(g) agreements that place troopers under ICE supervision but does not prevent localities from entering their own 287(g) agreements.
- Spanberger said, "Virginia is not a sanctuary state — full stop," called contrary claims misinformation, and defended her record and her 17-point election margin; a Washington Post–Schar School poll shows 46% of Virginians disapprove of her job performance—the lowest for a Virginia governor since 1994.
- Spanberger says the Virginia Department of Corrections continues to send DHS a monthly list of non‑citizens in its custody, task-force cooperation such as with the Joint Terrorism Task Force remains intact, and Virginia will assist ICE when presented with a judicial warrant related to a suspect’s actions.
- A bill by state Sen. Saddam Salim, already on Spanberger’s desk, would broadly restrict 287(g) participation unless officers have a judge-signed warrant, subpoena or detainer.
📊 Relevant Data
In Virginia, the unauthorized immigrant population is estimated at 338,000, with top countries of origin being Mexico (23%), El Salvador (15%), Honduras (12%), Guatemala (9%), and India (4%).
Profile of the Unauthorized Population: Virginia — Migration Policy Institute
Signing section 287(g) agreements is associated with declines in the share of foreign-born noncitizens in participating counties, particularly three or more years after implementation.
Measuring the Impact of Immigration Enforcement on Labor Markets — Congressional Research Service
In recent years, Virginia's population growth has been driven less by birth rates and more by international immigration and domestic migration.
Demographics: Trends, Projections, & Potential Impacts — Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission
Immigrants have an overall positive fiscal impact on the US, driven by high-skilled immigrants, while low-skilled immigrants have a negative fiscal impact.
The Fiscal Impact of Immigration: An Update — American Enterprise Institute
📊 Analysis & Commentary (1)
"An opinion defending immigrant assimilation as beneficial and warning that isolated criminal cases (and the DHS reaction to them) are being used to push punitive immigration policies rather than integration‑focused solutions."
📰 Source Timeline (3)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- Spanberger publicly states, "Virginia is not a sanctuary state — full stop," and says claims to the contrary are misinformation.
- She clarifies that her executive directive bars Virginia State Police and other state agencies from entering into 287(g) agreements that place troopers under ICE supervision, but does not prohibit localities from entering their own 287(g) agreements.
- Spanberger says the Virginia Department of Corrections continues to send DHS a monthly list of non‑citizens in its custody and that task forces such as JTTF cooperation remain intact.
- She emphasizes that Virginia will assist ICE when it presents a judicial warrant related to a suspect’s actions.
- The article notes a separate bill by state Sen. Saddam Salim, already on Spanberger’s desk, that would broadly restrict 287(g) participation unless officers have a judge‑signed warrant, subpoena or detainer.
- White House border czar Tom Homan, in an exclusive Fox News Digital interview, says that if Gov. Abigail Spanberger continues limiting cooperation with ICE, he is prepared to 'send more teams into the streets' in Virginia.
- Homan explicitly contrasts Virginia with Minnesota, saying that after President Trump sent him to Minneapolis he secured greater cooperation from county jails, which he claims reduced public‑safety risks.
- The piece cites a new Washington Post–Schar School poll showing 46% of Virginians disapprove of Spanberger’s job performance—the lowest for a Virginia governor since 1994—and includes Spanberger’s responses defending her record and 17‑point election margin.
- The article restates that Spanberger issued an executive directive in early February cutting off collaboration between state agencies and ICE and rescinded Virginia’s 287(g) program created under former Gov. Glenn Youngkin.