Virginia Governor Targets 'Sanctuary Cities' with Funding Cuts in Budget Proposal

Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin announced a proposal to bar localities from enacting "sanctuary city" policies by conditioning state funding for law enforcement and jails on compliance with federal immigration detainers.

The measure, to be included in his upcoming state budget proposal, mandates that local law enforcement notify Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) 48 hours before releasing undocumented immigrants who have been charged with crimes.

Youngkin criticized localities such as Fairfax, Arlington, and Alexandria for what he described as a failure to cooperate with ICE, allowing undocumented immigrants charged with crimes to reenter communities, as he explained in a news conference on Thursday:

"Several localities and several jails in Virginia have implemented sanctuary policies in recent years ... and as a direct result of these reckless and flagrant, irresponsible policies, violent criminals are allowed back into our communities. And folks, I'm not talking about someone jaywalking or going 30 in a 25 mile-an-hour zone. These are violent criminals who are in custody."

The governor's proposal aims to replace the current discretionary policy on honoring ICE detainers with a requirement, withholding state funding for non-compliance. Youngkin identified "599 funds," amounting to over $200 million annually, as a primary source of leverage. He argued that these measures are necessary to prioritize public safety.

Democratic leaders and immigrant advocacy groups have strongly opposed the plan, framing it as politically motivated. Virginia Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell noted that ICE already receives booking notifications from local jails but often does not act promptly to detain individuals. He characterized Youngkin's proposal as political theater, unlikely to pass in the Democrat-controlled Senate.

"Cities such as Fairfax, Alexandria, Arlington, and Richmond, have historically defended their policies as an effort to protect the rights and dignity of their immigrant residents, ensuring that everyone, regardless of their immigration status," said immigration attorney Hector Quiroga of the Quiroga Law Firm to The Latin Times, adding that these measures "could have significant legal and economic implications."

Quiroga added that "from a practical angle, these policies can also have a disproportionate impact on immigrant communities that already face structural barriers."

"The easiest step for the GOP to take against sanctuary cities is for the Republican governors to coordinate in restricting the allocation of state resources to these cities," said geopolitical analyst Irina Tsukerman to The Latin Times. "If these cities are turned into pariahs and denied the portion of assistance they are accustomed to, they will feel increased pressure internally from local populations feeling the squeeze."