This year, Virginia's General Assembly approved a policy that would prevent civil immigration arrests in certain sensitive locations. While the state can't control everything that the federal government does, these bills (SB 351 and HB 650) offered protections from immigration enforcement in local and state controlled buildings, including courthouses, public hospitals, and public schools. Law enforcement would still have permission to persue criminal cases, but civil detentions would be limited in these essential places.
The governor proposed an amendment that would have weakened the bill, but the legislature maintained the original language. Now, Governor Spanberger has until May 22 to sign or veto the policy. It is important for the safety of our neighbors that she sign the bill in its current form.
Feel free to personalize the note below to share why protecting immigrants in senstive locations matters to you!
(We need your home/mailing address to determine whose districts you are in. Thanks.)
