Hours after taking the oath of office, Virginia’s new Democratic Governor Abigail Spanberger made a bold move by signing an executive order that undoes a key policy on state cooperation with federal immigration authorities.
On Saturday, January 17, 2026, Spanberger was sworn in as Virginia’s governor in Richmond, greeting outgoing Governor Glenn Youngkin during the ceremonial key transfer at the Virginia State Capitol. Within hours, she signed Executive Order 10, rescinding a previous directive from Youngkin’s administration that mandated state and local law enforcement to assist Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). This prior policy, known as Executive Order 47, was issued in February 2025 to support federal efforts in detaining individuals described by Youngkin’s team as unauthorized migrants involved in criminal activity.
Critics of Spanberger’s swift action have raised alarms about potential impacts on public safety, while supporters argue it refocuses law enforcement on local priorities. The debate has ignited a firestorm across the Commonwealth, with both sides digging in on the implications of this policy shift. Let’s unpack the history and stakes of this contentious decision.
Spanberger, a former congresswoman, campaigned in 2025 on a pledge to overturn Youngkin’s Executive Order 47, which encouraged local agencies to work with ICE during enforcement operations. She framed the policy as a misallocation of state resources, a stance she doubled down on immediately after her double-digit victory over Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears in November 2025.
Youngkin’s order, according to data provided by his administration to the Daily Caller News Foundation, led to the arrest of over 6,200 individuals living in the country without legal authorization between February and November 2025. These arrests included members of notorious groups like MS-13 and Tren de Aragua, tied to transnational crime networks. The numbers paint a picture of a policy that targeted serious threats, which makes Spanberger’s reversal all the more polarizing.
Now, with Democrats controlling Virginia’s executive branch and both legislative chambers, Spanberger has significant leeway to push her agenda. Beyond immigration policy, she’s eyeing changes like voting rights for felons, protections for same-sex marriage, and a higher minimum wage. This broad progressive push raises questions about whether the state is veering too far from practical governance.
Former Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares didn’t hold back in his condemnation of Executive Order 10. “By directing our local law enforcement to stop working with federal law enforcement agencies, our streets have become less safe with a stroke of the pen,” he stated in a blistering critique. Such a rollback, he argues, could leave communities vulnerable to crime that crosses state and national borders.
Miyares’ warning isn’t just rhetoric—it’s a call to consider the real-world consequences of sidelining federal partnerships. If state officers step back from assisting ICE, who fills the gap when dangerous individuals slip through the cracks? This isn’t about politics; it’s about ensuring Virginians aren’t left to bear the cost of idealistic policy experiments.
Spanberger, however, sees it differently, emphasizing a separation of duties in her order. “Ensuring public safety in Virginia requires state and local law enforcement to be focused on their core responsibilities of investigating and deterring criminal activity, staffing jails, and community engagement,” she wrote in Executive Order 10. Her argument hinges on the idea that federal issues should stay federal.
But is this focus on “core responsibilities” a dodge from tougher challenges? Divorcing state efforts from federal immigration enforcement might sound tidy on paper, but crime doesn’t respect neat jurisdictional lines. Spanberger’s stance risks creating a patchwork system where coordination falters at the worst possible moment.
Let’s not ignore the context of Youngkin’s original policy either. His administration claimed it enabled ICE to take custody of individuals tied to serious criminal activity, a point bolstered by arrest data showing ties to violent gangs. Dismantling this framework without a clear alternative feels like a gamble with high stakes.
Spanberger’s broader agenda adds another layer of concern for those wary of progressive overreach. Her appointment of Dr. Sesha Joi Moon as chief diversity officer, a figure who has previously expressed controversial views on constitutional principles, signals a cultural shift that may not sit well with many Virginians. It’s a reminder that policy isn’t just about laws—it’s about values.
According to Daily Caller, the rollback of ICE cooperation isn’t just a single policy change; it’s a statement about where Virginia is headed under Democratic control. Will this lead to a safer Commonwealth, as Spanberger claims, by freeing up local resources? Or will it, as critics like Miyares warn, open the door to unchecked threats?
Virginians deserve clarity on how this plays out, especially when the data from Youngkin’s tenure suggests real risks were being addressed. The arrests of over 6,200 individuals, many linked to dangerous networks, aren’t numbers to brush aside lightly. This isn’t a game of political point-scoring—it’s about real lives and real communities.
As Spanberger settles into office, the eyes of the Commonwealth are on her every move. Her victory may have been decisive, but governing a diverse state requires balancing competing priorities. Let’s hope this first step doesn’t set a tone of prioritizing ideology over pragmatism.
