Spanberger ends relationship between ICE and Virginia State Police [View all]
https://www.wvtf.org/news/2026-01-17/spanberger-ends-relationship-between-ice-and-virginia-state-police
Governor Abigail Spanberger was inaugurated Saturday, and with it issued a series of day one executive orders. Among them is one rescinding the relationship initiated by former governor Glenn Youngkin between Virginia State Police and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE. Brad Kutner has more.
According to the numbers obtained by The Virginian-Pilot's Kate Seltzer, as of November, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, had detained over 6,200 people since former Youngkin entered into a 287(g) agreement with the federal agency early last year. That agreement deputizes Virginia State Police to assist ICE in its roundup of residents.
Youngkin said their target was violent illegals, but ICE data suggests about 70 percent of those detained in Virginias two ICE facilities have no criminal record.
But Saturday, shortly after her inauguration, Governor Abigail Spanberger signed an order undoing that relationship.
"In Virginia, our hardworking, law-abiding immigrant neighbors will know that when we say well focus on the security and safety of all of our neighbors, we mean them too," Spanberger said as part of her inauguration speech Saturday.
elections have (immediate) consequences.
— Chris Geidner (@chrisgeidner.bsky.social) 2026-01-17T21:06:31.433Z