Virginia Takes Some Steps to Protect Immigrant Communities, More to Do in 2027

Everyone, regardless of their immigration status, deserves the opportunity to go to school, work, and places of worship without fear. Nationally and across Virginia, immigration enforcement activities continue to cause fear and uncertainty among communities. Too often, these costly and untargeted actions undermine community well-being without making people safer, and in some instances have cost people their lives. 

A broad coalition of groups representing immigrants and allies from various backgrounds worked to get several important bills signed into law during the 2026 legislative session. Some priorities were unfortunately tabled for the year, meaning they were set aside and did not advance, so additional work is needed in the future to make Virginia an inclusive and welcoming place for all people, including immigrants.

Bills the General Assembly Passed and Gov. Spanberger Signed into Law:

Restricting partnerships with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) (HB1441/SB783)

As of January 2026, four state agencies, four jail systems, and 23 local sheriffs had enforcement agreements with ICE. Additionally, local law enforcement agencies had been seeking monetary incentives from ICE in exchange for making immigration-related arrests instead of focusing on real efforts to increase public safety, hurting everyone in the community. The legislation signed into law this year adds critical restrictions to any existing and future agreements to ensure local law enforcement refrains from abusive tactics and prohibits additional forms of immigration enforcement by state and local law enforcement agencies. Communities are safer when everyone has more trust in law enforcement in order to come forward as a victim or witness to a crime.

Increasing transparency and accountability of law enforcement (HB1482/SB352)

Masked and unidentifiable immigration officers have increased fear across communities, with little to no transparency around the types of operations they are conducting. This legislation creates strong requirements for law enforcement in Virginia to identify themselves and prohibits most mask use while performing their duties.

Extending the validity of driver privilege cards (HB911/SB446)

Immigrants strengthen Virginia’s economy, culture, and local communities. In 2020, Virginia lawmakers passed legislation to create driver privilege cards, allowing undocumented immigrants to learn the rules of the road and earn the credentials needed to lawfully drive and more fully participate in our communities. The 2020 legislation set driver privilege cards to be valid for 2 years, meaning immigrants had to return at much higher rates to maintain a driver privilege card. This year, lawmakers voted to extend the duration of driver privilege cards to match the duration of non-REAL ID credentials issued by the DMV, ranging from 5 to 8 years depending on the credential (standard driver’s licenses, learner’s permits, and special identification cards). This will save immigrants both time and money, since they will not have to return to the DMV as often.

Expanding access to Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS) (HB667)

Federal law allows certain immigrant young people up to the age of 21 who have been abused, abandoned, or neglected to be eligible for Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, removing a barrier to obtaining permanent resident status. Currently, Virginia restricts juvenile court jurisdiction to minors under 18. Delegate Maldonado’s HB667 aligns Virginia’s code with federal law by allowing juvenile and domestic relations courts to grant the necessary court findings for SIJS status. By doing so, Virginia is expanding access to a critical protection from deportation for young people.

Protecting immigrant workers against retaliation (HB675)

 A landmark study of immigrants in three major cities found that undocumented immigrants are more than twice as likely to be victims of wage theft compared to US-born workers. In some instances, employers threaten to call immigration officers if workers choose to come forward with wage theft allegations, forcing workers to endure being underpaid. House Bill 675 creates new prohibition and enforcement protections for immigrant workers, helping ensure all employers adhere to Virginia’s minimum wage laws.

Proposals that were Vetoed

Protecting sensitive locations (HB650/SB351)

The General Assembly passed a critical bill that would have safeguarded immigrants from certain immigration enforcement in sensitive locations such as courthouses, state-owned hospitals and universities, and schools. Governor Spanberger initially proposed a significantly watered-down substitute that, in part, would have shielded immigration officers from accountability by allowing them to claim qualified immunity. The General Assembly rejected Governor Spanberger’s substitute and sent back the original bill, which Governor Spanberger later vetoed. 

Along with her veto, Governor Spanberger issued an Executive Order directing the state to create guidance on how state workers can navigate certain immigration enforcement in certain sensitive locations and to create an online “Know Your Rights” resource, which anyone could access. There is still more work to be done in the 2027 session to codify strong protections for sensitive locations in Virginia so that immigrants do not have to fear going to school, church, or seeking care.

Category:
Immigration