RICHMOND, VA –  CASA’s Virginia Director Luis Aguilar issued the following statement in response to Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin’s regressive decision to deputize state-level law enforcement officers as ICE agents, with a 287(g) mandate in Executive Order 47.

“We strongly condemn Governor Youngkin’s decision to harm, terrorize, persecute immigrant families, erode public trust, and make communities less safe. These agreements deputize law enforcement to act as immigration agents, a role they were never meant to fill. This collaboration with ICE has not only proven costly for state and local governments, but has also disproportionately targeted individuals with little or no criminal history, further deepening racial disparities in our criminal legal system.  This is horrible for Virginia’s families. By directing state law enforcement to collaborate with federal immigration authorities through 287(g) agreements, the Governor has effectively resurrected a modern version of the Fugitive Slave Acts, where local authorities were deputized to hunt, detain, and remove people deemed “illegal” by the government of the day. 

“The historical parallels are impossible to ignore. Just as slave catchers were once authorized to pursue people seeking freedom across state lines, this order authorizes state police and corrections officers to pursue people seeking refuge and opportunity in our Commonwealth. In both cases, we see the machinery of state power mobilized to track, capture, and expel those who have been categorically criminalized rather than treated as individuals deserving of dignity and due process.

“This order is not about public safety. Research consistently shows that immigrant communities have lower crime rates than native-born populations. What this order will actually accomplish is to:

1. Destroy the trust between immigrant communities and local law enforcement that has taken years to build;

2. Make victims and witnesses of crime afraid to come forward;

3. Divert valuable resources away from addressing genuine public safety concerns; and

4. Create a climate of fear and profiling that harms all Virginians.

“287(g) agreements fundamentally weaken trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve. When state and local police are seen as extensions of ICE, immigrants, especially Black and brown immigrants, are less likely to report crimes, seek help, or cooperate with investigations. This breakdown in trust does not enhance public safety; it undermines it. Effective policing relies on strong relationships with residents, but 287(g) agreements create fear, alienation, and division. Any elected official who truly values community safety should champion community trust.

“Moreover, these agreements fuel racial profiling and discriminatory practices. There is overwhelming evidence that Black and brown immigrants are disproportionately targeted under 287(g), reinforcing systemic racial biases that already exist in policing. Black immigrants, in particular, face higher rates of arrest, incarceration, and deportation due to these harmful policies. Instead of making communities safer, 287(g) agreements push vulnerable populations further into the shadows, exposing them to exploitation and injustice.  

“At CASA, we hear daily from families who are terrified that a routine traffic stop could lead to deportation and family separation. We know parents who are afraid to pick up their children from school or take them to doctor appointments. This is not what public safety looks like.

“We must reject 287(g) agreements and any policies that criminalize immigrant communities. Our focus should be on keeping families together, protecting civil rights, and fostering trust between law enforcement and the people they serve. Immigrants are an essential part of our communities, and we must stand against programs that seek to divide us. We must work toward policies that uphold justice, dignity, and true public safety for all.”