POLITICS

Virginia Governor Ends State Cooperation With ICE Agreements

PUBLISHED Feb 4, 2026, 3:58 PM ET

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RICHMOND, Va. — Gov. Abigail Spanberger issued a directive Wednesday ordering Virginia State Police, the Department of Corrections and other agencies to terminate all 287(g) agreements with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Spanberger said officers should operate under state supervision and that cooperation with ICE will be limited to valid judicial warrants. The move rescinds elements of her predecessor’s policies encouraging ICE deputizations and follows her January executive orders erasing prior mandates. Local activists and officials in nearby jurisdictions have taken related actions this week. Based on 6 articles reviewed and supporting research.

By Michael Grant | JQJO News

Timeline of Events

Around 2025: Gov. Glenn Youngkin issued an executive order encouraging state 287(g) agreements with ICE.
July 2025: Youngkin cited over 2,500 arrests tied to Virginia Homeland Security task force partnerships.
17th January 2026: Gov. Abigail Spanberger took office and signed Executive Order 10 rescinding Youngkin’s prior directive.
This week (Wednesday): Spanberger issued a directive terminating existing 287(g) agreements across multiple state agencies.
This week (Thursday): Local activists protested ICE-related lodging and some counties moved to revoke ICE facility permits.

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Who Benefited

State law enforcement agencies and Virginia state leadership regained operational control over their officers, restoring internal supervision and removing federal deputization under 287(g) agreements.

Who Impacted

Federal immigration enforcement (ICE) lost direct access to deputized state officers and coordination mechanisms under the terminated 287(g) agreements, reducing immediate operational capacity within Virginia.

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