Urge our Virginia Senate Democrats to reject the Governor's proposed changes to these good bills.

We are proud of our legislators for passing HB650 and SB351.

As enacted, the bills protect Virginians from unjust ICE arrest when they come to court, seek healthcare, attend school, or vote. They do that by both requiring ICE to obtain a warrant from a judge before attempting an arrest in these spaces, and also by empowering court, hospital, school, and election officials to keep ICE out unless agents have convinced a judge to issue an arrest warrant. And the bills have teeth. Under them, an ICE agent who carries out an arrest without a judicial warrant can be charged with contempt of court, which carries fines and jail time. Any who’ve been wrongfully arrested can sue for damages - and the Virginia Attorney General can obtain a court order to stop these kinds of arrests from happening across the state.

While Governor Spanberger has told the House that she approves the general purpose of these bills, she has recommended changes that will make it very hard to protect people from unjust arrest when they visit courts, hospitals, schools, and polling places. Why? Because the bills will not empower local officials to keep ICE out of sensitive spaces if they are finalized with her edits. Not only that, but unjust arrests will not trigger penalties, and the Attorney General will have no clear basis to object to arrests statewide.

The Virginia legislature can reject Governor Spanberger’s amendments. Tell them they must do that and finalize HB650 and SB351 to take all of the action that we intended!
HB650 SB351
Governor's Recommendation (identical wording to both chambers)
Governor's Amendment (identical wording to both chambers)