Youngkin to draft sanctuary city ban, making state funding contingent on ICE cooperation
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin is set to introduce a groundbreaking budget proposal that will ban “sanctuary cities” in the state and ensure that tax money does not go to counties or independent cities that are not complying with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) regulations.
Under the proposal, local police and corrections officers will be required to fulfill ICE detainer requests for criminal illegal immigrants and notify the federal government within two days of releasing any such individuals who have gone through the justice system. Additionally, any municipality that identifies as a sanctuary city or enacts similar policies will have state funding typically allocated to support their police departments withheld by Richmond.
Youngkin emphasized the importance of cracking down on criminal illegal immigrants, stating, “Criminals who are in the United States illegally will be turned over to ICE. We must stop the cycle of violence and crime that is being enabled by some local governments. Virginia is not a sanctuary state, and we must be clear that we will not allow localities to become ‘sanctuary cities’.”
The move comes in response to recent violent crimes committed by illegal immigrants in Virginia, including the sexual assault of a jogger on a popular Herndon rail-trail. In this case, Honduran national Denis Humberto Navarette-Romero was charged with intent to defile and rape a woman on the Old Dominion Trail.
Critics have pointed to Fairfax County’s sanctuary-type policies, which have come under scrutiny following Navarette-Romero’s arrest. The Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office had previously announced that they would no longer hold inmates past release dates unless accompanied by a legal criminal detainer from ICE.
Youngkin’s budget proposal aims to address these issues and ensure that Virginia remains compliant with federal immigration laws. The Department of Criminal Justice Services, under the leadership of Youngkin appointee Jackson Miller, will be tasked with enforcing these new policies and withholding funding from non-compliant municipalities.
As Virginia takes a stand against sanctuary cities and works to strengthen cooperation with federal immigration authorities, the state is sending a clear message that it will not tolerate policies that put public safety at risk. Youngkin’s bold initiative underscores his commitment to upholding the rule of law and protecting the citizens of Virginia.
