‘People are scared’: Advocacy groups react as Spanberger moves to end local ICE partnerships
VENN
RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — Immigrant advocacy groups are speaking out after Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) rescinded Executive Order 47, one of her first actions after being inaugurated.
It ends Virginia’s participation in the federal 287(g) agreement, which previously allowed local law enforcement officers to act as ICE agents.
"We are elated that Governor Spanberger has decided to go ahead and change that," said Monica Sarmiento, executive director of the Virginia Coalition for Immigrant Rights. "We don't want that in terms of the kind of relationship we want to see with local law enforcement and communities. Virginia State Police are here to serve Virginians."
Sarmiento said Hopewell and Loudoun counties were participating in the agreement.
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"We're seeing market areas that are usually busy and bustling, [now] people are not going out to shop anymore," she said. "People are staying home. People are scared. People don't feel safe."
It is unclear whether the two counties are still cooperating with ICE. Sarmiento said she believes they are and noted that Spanberger’s action is an executive order.
"It is [up to] the local sheriffs, unless the General Assembly passes a law saying that no locality may enter into an ICE agreement," Sarmiento said.
The federal agreement was put in place under former Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R).
“Cooperating with ICE in order to get violent criminals who are here illegally off our streets is something that we do support,” Youngkin said in January 2025.
However, the most recent ICE data shows that nearly 70% of people booked into Virginia ICE detention facilities between President Trump’s inauguration and Oct. 15, 2025 had no criminal record.
"These are not the kind of people that we want to see really torn apart by the system, families torn apart," Sarmiento said. "The New Virginia Majority did a study in Loudon County last May, where it shows that Latinos are now eight times more likely to be stopped by local law enforcement in Loudoun County."
The Virginia Coalition for Immigrant Rights is now pushing for a statewide end to ICE agreements between localities. Sarmiento said lawmakers are expected to introduce legislation as early as Friday aimed at ending those agreements through state law.
For more on immigration enforcement in Central Virginia, click here.
