The newest governor of Virginia immediately rolled back anti-sanctuary policy which helped federal immigration authorities take custody of criminal illegal migrants.
Within hours of being sworn into office Saturday, Democrat Gov. Abigail Spanberger signed Executive Order 10, a proclamation rescinding an executive order signed by her Republican predecessor requiring Virginia law enforcement officials to work with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Critics have framed the move as a “disaster” which will lead to an increase in crime.
“By directing our local law enforcement to stop working with federal law enforcement agencies, our streets have become less safe with a stroke of the pen,” former Virginia GOP Attorney General Jason Miyares said in a statement.
“This is a disaster for the public safety of the Commonwealth. Mark my words, there will be Virginians who will be robbed, raped and murdered as a result of this anti public safety executive order,” Miyares continued. “No one should be surprised.”
Then-Gov. Glenn Youngkin, a Republican, signed Executive Order 47 in February 2025, directing state law enforcement and corrections officials to assist ICE and other federal immigration authorities. The order also pushed localities across Virginia to cooperate with ICE agents during enforcement operations.
The order helped ICE take custody of criminal illegal migrants, according to Youngkin’s administration.
More than 6,200 individuals living in the country illegally were arrested across the commonwealth between February 2025 and November 2025, according to data Youngkin’s administration provided to the Daily Caller News Foundation. These individuals included MS-13 members, Tren de Aragua gangbangers, and other associates of transnational criminal syndicates.
Spanberger, a former congresswoman, promised to roll back Youngkin’s order when campaigning for governor in 2025. The Democrat has consistently framed the policy as a waste of resources for local and state law enforcement.
“Ensuring public safety in Virginia requires state and local law enforcement to be focused on their core responsibilities of investigating and deterring criminal activity, staffing jails, and community engagement,” Spanberger stated in Executive Order 10. “Federal authorities should enforce federal civil immigration laws — law enforcement in the Commonwealth should prioritize the safety and security of all residents in Virginia, the enforcement of local and state laws, and coordination with federal entities on criminal matters.”
Spanberger handily defeated Republican Virginia Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears in the November 2025 gubernatorial election, a double-digit victory in what became a Democrat sweep across the state’s top elected positions. Democrats now control the executive branch and both chambers of the Virginia legislature, giving Spanberger ample room to usher in her agenda.
The newly-minted governor is also pursuing a number of other liberal policy objectives, such as voting rights for felons, constitutional protections for same-sex marriage, and a higher minimum wage. Furthermore, Spanberger has appointed Dr. Sesha Joi Moon, an individual who previously appeared to approve of dismantling parts of the Constitution, to serve as the state’s chief diversity officer and director of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).
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