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Under Executive Order 47, issued on Thursday, Feb. 27, Youngkin directed Virginia State Police (VSP) to enter into an agreement with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), allowing select troopers to act as federally trained immigration officers.
The move will establish a VSP Task Force of troopers who will assist ICE in identifying, detaining, and apprehending undocumented individuals accused of violent crimes in Virginia.
The agreement will put Virginia law enforcement in direct cooperation with federal agents to remove offenders from the Commonwealth, officials said.
"As Governor, protecting our citizens is my foremost responsibility, and today we are taking action that will make Virginia safer by removing dangerous criminal illegal immigrants from our Commonwealth,” Youngkin said.
"This order will allow Virginia State Police and the Department of Corrections to partner with President Trump’s administration on federal immigration enforcement."
The order also directs the Virginia Department of Corrections to finalize a similar 287(g) agreement with ICE, allowing corrections officers to be trained and deputized to detain and process individuals for federal immigration enforcement.
Additionally, the Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security has been instructed to ensure all local and regional jails comply with ICE detainer requests and cooperate with the newly formed VSP Task Force.
Attorney General Jason Miyares emphasized the administration's stance, stating, "Keeping Virginians safe from violent criminals is our top priority."
"If you are present in this country illegally and commit a violent crime, you will be arrested and deported consistent with the law," Miyares added.
The move is part of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996, which allows state and local law enforcement officers to be federally deputized under ICE’s supervision.
"I am a legal immigrant and now a naturalized citizen," Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears stated. "Now, working with President Trump, we can take on the scourge of dangerous and violent illegal immigrants."
Youngkin's administration says these agreements will help ensure violent offenders in the country illegally are removed rather than released back into communities.
"We’ve seen too many tragic stories after dangerous criminals in this country illegally were put back on the streets," Earle-Sears continued. "This Executive Order will make sure we send them back to where they came from."
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