Spanberger’s SHOCKING ICE Purge Begins

Finger pressing ERASE PAST key on keyboard.

Virginia’s new governor just pulled state police out of an ICE partnership—reigniting the national fight over whether enforcing immigration law is “public safety” or “overreach.”

Quick Take

Gov. Abigail Spanberger ordered Virginia state law-enforcement agencies to terminate all state-level 287(g) agreements with ICE, effective immediately.
The directive reverses a 2025 mandate from former Gov. Glenn Youngkin that required state agencies to join ICE partnerships.
Spanberger argues state resources should prioritize “community safety” and local crime, not federal civil immigration enforcement.
Republicans warn the move puts “politics over public safety,” while immigrant-advocacy groups call it a major step to reduce fear and profiling concerns.

Spanberger Terminates State-Level 287(g) Agreements With ICE

Gov. Abigail Spanberger issued Executive Directive One on Feb. 4, 2026, directing multiple Virginia agencies to end their 287(g) agreements with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The affected agencies include the Virginia State Police, Virginia Department of Corrections, Virginia Conservation Police, and Virginia Marine Police. Under 287(g), state officers can perform certain federal immigration enforcement functions under ICE supervision. Spanberger framed the decision as refocusing state law enforcement on Virginia’s priorities.

Spanberger’s action did not come out of nowhere. She rescinded Youngkin’s Executive Order 47 on her first day in office, Jan. 17, 2026, but undoing the mandate did not automatically cancel signed agreements. The Feb. 4 directive is the step that specifically ends the state-level contracts. Spanberger also issued a separate executive order emphasizing community-trust policing, reinforcing her argument that routine state policing should not be reorganized around federal immigration tasks.

Spanberger Ends Virginia State Police Agreement to Cooperate With ICE
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— Townhall Updates (@TownhallUpdates) February 5, 2026

What 287(g) Does—and Why Conservatives and Progressives Clash Over It

Section 287(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act allows ICE to deputize state or local officers, creating what supporters call a “force multiplier” for immigration enforcement. Youngkin’s 2025 order pushed Virginia’s state agencies into that role, aligning with the broader Trump-era priority of tightening immigration enforcement. Critics argue the program can blur the line between criminal law and civil immigration matters, increasing fear in immigrant communities and complicating cooperation with police when witnesses or victims worry about deportation.

Bolts reported that federal incentives have been part of the broader push to expand these partnerships, including reimbursements and financial support tied to immigration arrests, along with equipment and bonus-style payments described by critics as creating the wrong kind of motivation. The reporting also notes arguments that traffic-stop arrests can become a pipeline into immigration enforcement, raising concerns about whether public safety decisions are being driven by community needs or by funding structures. The available reporting does not quantify Virginia’s state-agency use beyond describing it as “minimal.”

State Agencies Exit, but Local 287(g) Deals Remain in Place

Spanberger’s directive targets state-level agreements, not the separate 287(g) arrangements held by local sheriffs’ offices and jail authorities. Multiple outlets describe Virginia as having roughly 20 to 21 local agreements still active, concentrated in Southside and Southwest Virginia, and those remain independent choices for local officials. That distinction matters because it limits the immediate scope of the change: state police and corrections officers are told to step away, but local jurisdictions can continue cooperating with ICE unless future legislation restricts those agreements statewide.

Political Fallout: “Community Trust” Versus “Public Safety”

Spanberger publicly said that turning Virginia law enforcement over to ICE “ends today,” presenting her move as a reset toward state-directed policing. Advocacy groups applauded the change, arguing it reduces fear-based outcomes and helps families feel safer engaging with police. Republican lawmakers sharply criticized the directive, with Sen. Glen Sturtevant calling it “politics over public safety,” reflecting the core objection that cooperation with ICE helps remove offenders who are in the country illegally and have criminal records.

Legislatively, the fight is not over. Bolts reports that lawmakers are considering bills during Virginia’s session that could ban all 287(g) agreements, including local ones, bringing Virginia closer to the approach taken in states such as California and Illinois. If that effort advances, the debate will shift from an executive decision affecting state agencies to a statewide restriction on local sheriffs. For conservatives watching the bigger picture in 2026, that’s where the real test lies: whether the state limits local law-enforcement discretion in the name of immigration “reform.”

For now, the confirmed facts are narrow but consequential. Virginia’s governor has ordered an immediate end to state-level 287(g) participation, reversing a previous administration’s requirement and reshaping how state police and corrections interact with federal immigration enforcement. Supporters argue it puts violent crime and community trust first; critics argue it weakens cooperation aimed at removing criminal illegal aliens. With local agreements still intact and legislation pending, the practical impact will be measured over time in staffing choices, arrest workflows, and public safety outcomes.