RICHMOND, Va. — Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R-Virginia) signed an executive order Thursday directing state police and corrections officers to assist U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in its enforcement efforts — which the governor says are aimed at keeping "dangerous criminal illegal immigrants from [the] Commonwealth."
The order went into effect immediately upon its signing.
Youngkin says the order calls for Virginia State Police and the Department of Corrections to partner with President Trump's administration on federal immigration enforcement.
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The order also directs state law enforcement and corrections officers to request that localities "fully cooperate" with ICE removal and other enforcement operations.
These actions are outlined in the following three directives included in Executive Order 47:
- Establish a Section 287(g) VSP Task Force: State police will form a task force of officers to help ICE identify and apprehend "criminal illegal immigrants who pose a risk to public safety" in Virginia.
- Establish a Section 287(g) VADOC Jail Enforcement Model Program: The state's Department of Corrections will implement an "enforcement model" that identifies and processes "removable immigrants who are incarcerated in state or local correctional facilities." Additionally, corrections officers will be trained to work as "Designated Immigration Officers."
- Confirm jails' cooperation with ICE and Section 287(g) VSP Task Force: Every director, sheriff or other official in charge of a local or regional jail in Virginia will be contacted and asked for certification "confirming their full cooperation with ICE in all Enforcement and Removal Operations."
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Section 287(g), cited in each directive, is included in the Immigration and Nationality Act and offers guidance for partnerships between ICE and both state and local law enforcement resources.
On Jan. 20, Trump issued an executive order, dubbed "Protecting the American People Against Invasion," in an effort to expand 287(g) agreements.
Trump's order allows — but does not require — state leaders to implement policies allowing for ICE to collaborate closely with state and local resources.
