Your ICE Amendments Protect Lawbreakers. Virginians Deserve Better.

Dear Governor Spanberger, Virginians elected you to protect them. We are writing because your recent amendments to two immigration bills represent a serious and specific betrayal of that promise. The Virginia General Assembly sent you a bill banning ICE from making arrests at courthouses, hospitals, schools, and polling locations. You amended it — and in doing so, you added language that protects ICE officers from lawsuits even if they violate that law and make arrests at those locations anyway. Let that sink in. You did not simply weaken a protection. You wrote legal immunity for lawbreaking directly into Virginia statute. You also amended a bill that would have restricted jail transfers to ICE only for individuals convicted of violent felonies — removing that requirement entirely, so Virginians who have not been convicted of any crime can now be transferred to federal custody. These are not moderate compromises. These are policy choices with real consequences for real Virginians — people who may now fear seeking medical care, appearing in court, or casting a ballot. Democratic Senator Saddam Salim called your amendment to his courthouse protection bill toothless. Senator Louise Lucas noted publicly that your policies do not match your campaign rhetoric. Your approval rating reflects what Virginians are seeing. We are asking you to reconsider these amendments. Remove the lawsuit immunity provision that protects ICE officers who break Virginia law. Restore the conviction requirement before jail transfers to ICE. You have the power to lead Virginia as a genuine sanctuary from federal overreach. We urge you to use it.