Virginia Governor Signs Several Immigration-Related Bills

According to a report from the Virginia Mercury, Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger has signed several immigration-related bills. The legislation is largely designed to provide additional legal protections to immigrants in the Commonwealth. In this article, our Arlington immigration attorney provides an overview of the key things that you should know about these bills.

New Virginia Law Protects Students Against Immigration-Related Discrimination

Abigail Spanberger assumed office in Richmond in January of 2026. Her campaign was, in part, run on a message of expanded immigrant rights in the Commonwealth. To start, Governor Spanberger signed HB 836/SB 491. The legislation is designed to protect Virginia students from discrimination based on actual or perceived immigration status. To a degree, there were already legal protections in place for these students. HB 836/SB 491 has expanded those protections.

A key provision in the law restricts schools from sharing a student’s immigration or citizenship information, or that of a parent or guardian, with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) unless there is a judicial warrant that expressly requires the school to do so. Notably, that is a meaningful education-access protection because while federal law already recognizes a right to K-12 public education regardless of immigration status, protections at the state level help to confirm that the right actually exists in practice.

Virginia Restricts States and Local Law Enforcement Immigration With ICE

Governor Spanberger also signed legislation addressing local law enforcement collaboration with ICE, including HB 1441/SB 783. The bill is focused on local cooperation agreements with federal immigration authorities, including 287(g)-type arrangements. The practical effect is to narrow the circumstances in which local agencies can become extensions of federal civil immigration enforcement.

Broadly explained, a 287(g) agreement is a formal partnership that allows state or local law enforcement officers to perform certain federal immigration enforcement functions. Through a written agreement with DHS, trained officers can identify, detain, and process noncitizens for potential removal. These programs operate under federal supervision and are typically used in jails or correctional settings. Virginia is not restricting this level of state/local cooperation with ICE.

The Bottom Line: In the current environment, many immigrants and community members are worried about aggressive enforcement efforts by the Trump Administration. Virginia enacted new laws that limit cooperation of schools and law enforcement with ICE. For immigrants and their families in Virginia, the key point is that these state laws do not change federal immigration status, removal grounds, or ICE’s federal authority. They may, however, affect what Virginia schools, local agencies, and certain public institutions can do when federal immigration enforcement requests information, cooperation, or access.

Get Help From a Top Arlington Immigration Lawyer

At Escobar Law Offices, our Arlington immigration attorney is an experienced advocate for clients. If you have any questions about your rights, please do not hesitate to contact us to arrange your strictly private, no obligation case review. We provide immigration law representation in Arlington and throughout the broader region in Northern Virginia.

Source:

virginiamercury.com/2026/04/15/spanberger-acts-on-immigration-bills-seeks-changes-to-ice-related-measures/