Hours after taking the oath of office on 17 January, Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger (D) signed Executive Order 1, repealing her predecessor’s directive that had required state police and corrections agencies to enter into 287(g) agreements with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The move instantly ends routine information-sharing about release dates from state prisons and jails and halts state-level participation in immigration detainers unless mandated by federal law or a judicial warrant.
Spanberger cast the rollback as a return to “community-focused policing,” arguing that mandatory cooperation with ICE deterred victims and witnesses from reporting crimes. Republican legislators blasted the decision as “sanctuary-style politics” and vowed to introduce a bill re-imposing cooperation requirements when the General Assembly reconvenes next month.
![Virginia’s new governor rescinds state cooperation agreements with ICE on Day One]()
For employers, the practical effect is concentrated in workforce-mobility hubs such as Northern Virginia’s tech corridor and the Port of Hampton Roads. Foreign nationals with minor traffic offenses are now less likely to be transferred to ICE custody after posting bond, reducing detention-related assignment disruptions. At the same time, companies that contract with state law-enforcement agencies should confirm whether any security-clearance clauses require ongoing 287(g) coordination.
Organizations juggling these evolving enforcement dynamics can streamline visa filings and status checks through VisaHQ, whose online platform (https://www.visahq.com/united-states/) provides up-to-date guidance on U.S. immigration documentation, consular appointments, and renewal strategies. Leveraging the service helps employers and their foreign national staff avoid paperwork missteps that could compound the uncertainty created by shifting federal-state cooperation rules.
Corporate relocation teams should also track municipal policy shifts: several Virginia counties had already opted out of 287(g) in 2025 and may further limit ICE access to local jails. Conversely, federal agents could respond by increasing courthouse arrests—a pattern seen in other non-cooperative jurisdictions—so legal counsel should brief employees on courtroom etiquette and emergency-contact procedures.
Spanberger cast the rollback as a return to “community-focused policing,” arguing that mandatory cooperation with ICE deterred victims and witnesses from reporting crimes. Republican legislators blasted the decision as “sanctuary-style politics” and vowed to introduce a bill re-imposing cooperation requirements when the General Assembly reconvenes next month.
For employers, the practical effect is concentrated in workforce-mobility hubs such as Northern Virginia’s tech corridor and the Port of Hampton Roads. Foreign nationals with minor traffic offenses are now less likely to be transferred to ICE custody after posting bond, reducing detention-related assignment disruptions. At the same time, companies that contract with state law-enforcement agencies should confirm whether any security-clearance clauses require ongoing 287(g) coordination.
Organizations juggling these evolving enforcement dynamics can streamline visa filings and status checks through VisaHQ, whose online platform (https://www.visahq.com/united-states/) provides up-to-date guidance on U.S. immigration documentation, consular appointments, and renewal strategies. Leveraging the service helps employers and their foreign national staff avoid paperwork missteps that could compound the uncertainty created by shifting federal-state cooperation rules.
Corporate relocation teams should also track municipal policy shifts: several Virginia counties had already opted out of 287(g) in 2025 and may further limit ICE access to local jails. Conversely, federal agents could respond by increasing courthouse arrests—a pattern seen in other non-cooperative jurisdictions—so legal counsel should brief employees on courtroom etiquette and emergency-contact procedures.
