White House Border Czar Warns Spanberger That Limiting ICE Access to Virginia Jails Will Force More Street Arrests
Fox News reports White House border czar Tom Homan warned that if Rep. Abigail Spanberger continues limiting cooperation between state agencies and ICE—including an early‑February executive directive cutting off collaboration and rescinding Virginia’s 287(g) program—he is prepared to "send more teams into the streets" and increase ICE street operations in the state. Homan contrasted Virginia with his work in Minneapolis, saying jail cooperation there reduced public‑safety risks, and the article cites a Washington Post–Schar poll showing 46% of Virginians disapprove of Spanberger while including her defense of her record and 17‑point election margin.
📌 Key Facts
- White House border czar Tom Homan, in an exclusive Fox News Digital interview, warned that if Gov. Abigail Spanberger continues limiting cooperation with ICE and blocking agent access to Virginia jails, he is prepared to "send more teams into the streets" in Virginia.
- Homan contrasted Virginia with Minnesota, saying that after President Trump sent him to Minneapolis he secured greater cooperation from county jails there, which he claims reduced public‑safety risks.
- Gov. Abigail Spanberger issued an executive directive in early February cutting off collaboration between state agencies and ICE and rescinded Virginia’s 287(g) program created under former Gov.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.
- The Fox News article cites a Washington Post–Schar School poll showing 46% of Virginians disapprove of Spanberger’s job performance—the lowest for a Virginia governor since 1994.
- The piece includes Spanberger’s responses defending her record and noting her 17‑point election margin.
- The story was published by Fox News on April 9, 2026.
📊 Relevant Data
Since the 2020 census, 88.3% of Virginia's population growth has come from immigration.
ODU report: Without immigration, Virginia's population growth would be almost flat and much of northern Virginia would have lost population — Cardinal News
The foreign-born population in Virginia grew from 1 million in 2014 to 1.2 million in 2024, comprising 13.2% of the state's residents.
How many immigrants are in Virginia? — USA Facts
Among regions of birth for Virginia's immigrants, 41.5% are from Asia, 31.9% from Latin America, 10.7% from Africa, and 9.1% from Europe.
Virginia — Migration Policy Institute
In Virginia, between January and July 2025, only about 29% of individuals arrested by ICE had prior criminal convictions, and fewer than 16% had pending charges.
FOIA Friday: Records reveal surge in ICE arrests across Virginia — Virginia Mercury
In Central Virginia ICE bookings, about 98% of those booked were males, with 68% between the ages of 18 and 35.
Vast majority of Central Virginia ICE detainees are not criminals, data shows — WRIC
A 2026 Fox News poll found that 59% of voters nationwide say ICE is too aggressive in enforcing immigration laws, up 10 points since July 2025.
Fox News Poll: 59% of voters say ICE is too aggressive, up 10 points since July — Fox News
Immigration has added to housing demand in the US, but after the 2022 surge, growth rates of house prices and rents slowed substantially by 2023.
The Role of the Recent Immigrant Surge in Housing Costs — Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies
US policies addressing root causes of Central American migration include the Biden Administration's strategy focusing on long-term socioeconomic development, anticorruption, and human rights improvements.
Central American Migration: Root Causes and U.S. Policy — Congressional Research Service
📊 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 (2)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- 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.