Exclusive: Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin plans to introduce a budget that would prevent tax dollars from going to non-ICE-compliant counties and independent cities and ban “sanctuary cities” in the state.
The proposal would require local police and corrections officials to fulfill Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention requests for criminally undocumented immigrants and to provide federal assistance within two days of releasing such persons admitted through the judicial system. Requires notification to the government.
In addition, municipalities that qualify as sanctuary cities or enact similar policies will have state funds normally earmarked for police department support set aside by Richmond.
The Division of Criminal Justice, now headed by Jackson Miller, a former Prince William County official appointed by Youngkin, will be recommended to withhold so-called “599 funds” in this regard.
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Youngkin speaks at a Trump rally in Salem, Virginia. (AP/Steve Helber)
“Criminals who are in the United States illegally will be turned over to ICE,” Youngkin told FOX News Digital on Thursday.
“We must stop the cycle of violence and crime that is being perpetuated by some local governments. Virginia is not a sanctuary state. We must make it clear that we will not allow our local areas to become 'sanctuary cities.' No.”
The Republican governor, whose term is set for next year under Virginia's one-and-done policy, said state and taxpayer aid would be turned off if local governments “pandered to illegal immigrant advocacy groups.” said.
The news comes amid recent violent crimes by illegal immigrants in Virginia, most recently a sexual assault while jogging on the popular Herndon Railroad Trail.
Just before Thanksgiving, Honduran national Dennis Humberto Navarrette Romero was charged with desecration and intent to rape a woman on the Old Dominion Trail. A police chief in a Washington, D.C., suburb said it was the first rape committed by a stranger in his 12 years on the job.
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Glenn Youngkin holds a campaign event on October 28, 2021 in Amherst, Virginia. (Charles Crates/Fox News)
Critics pointed to Fairfax County's sanctuary policy because Navarrette-Romero had previously been arrested on auto theft and lewdness charges.
In 2018, fairfax county Sheriff Stacy Kincaid has informed ICE that it will no longer detain inmates past their release date unless a lawful criminal detainee accompanies an administrative request to detain the suspect.
Kincaid told WJLA The department requested such warrants earlier this year after ICE officials criticized a lack of cooperation with Virginia's largest and most populous county.
According to the report, of the 725 “illegal aliens” detained in Fairfax from July 2023 to July 2024, only three were transferred to ICE.
Also in November, the Arlington County Board of Commissioners voted 4-1 in favor of a policy that would allow police to call ICE only in cases involving gang members or very serious crimes, according to ArlNow. I cast it.
The vote came as activists chanted “Get ICE out of Arlington!”
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In 2007, Alexandria, an independent city, instituted a policy of not conducting citizenship checks “beyond that required by state and federal law.”
In 2017, Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney took a stand against President Trump's immigration policies, telling the city's police department to not agree to participate in the ICE Cooperative Agreement and not inquire about citizenship status “in the interest of public safety.” I ordered.
Virginia officials said the state Department of Corrections has been and continues to be aware of ICE detainees during Youngkin's tenure.
President-elect Trump's “border czar” Thomas Homan has repeatedly promised “mass deportation” initiatives and warned sanctuary cities that he will use the power of the federal government to similarly force compliance. .
