DHS Criticizes Virginia Governor’s Executive Order on Immigration Enforcement

The Department of Homeland Security has taken aim at Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger (D), accusing her of issuing an executive order that halts collaboration between state and local law enforcement and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

On Wednesday, Spanberger’s directive urged local governments to rescind all existing 287(g) agreements with ICE. She argued that these agreements “subjugate Virginia’s law enforcement under federal oversight for civilian immigration enforcement.”

In a pointed statement, DHS remarked, “Governor Abigail Spanberger continues to release dangerous criminals onto Virginia’s streets.”

The 287(g) agreements allow ICE to assign specific immigration enforcement duties to local law enforcement officers under its supervision. Currently, over 30 law enforcement agencies in Virginia maintain such agreements, according to a recent statement from ICE.

The governor’s office highlighted that Spanberger’s administration is actively reviewing the agreements to be signed by law enforcement agencies in 2025. These agreements, as stated, have compelled Virginia authorities to transfer individuals into ICE custody.

In response, DHS asserted that Spanberger’s policies contribute to a decrease in safety across Virginia.

“When local law enforcement is barred from cooperating with DHS, officers must increase their visibility to locate and apprehend criminals released back into communities. Instead of fostering collaboration, Governor Spanberger is prioritizing the release of violent offenders, allowing them to reoffend and create more victims,” they added.

Continuing their critique, DHS claimed that while Spanberger’s actions lead to the release of serious offenders, law enforcement persists in their mission to apprehend such criminals in Virginia.

They cited multiple recent arrests of illegal immigrants, asserting that these individuals were under the custody of Virginia due to Spanberger’s policies.

Among those arrested were individuals like Delban López García, a Guatemalan national with convictions for sexual assault, and Joel Reyes Aguilar, a Honduran national previously convicted of multiple sexual offenses. Other offenders included an Ethiopian convicted of murder and a Thai national with a history of sexual abuse.

Spanberger’s office has yet to comment on the situation.