Virginia governor signs executive order deputizing state law enforcement to help with migrant crisis

Virginia GOP Gov. Glenn Youngkin on Thursday signed an executive order that deputizes state law enforcement to help federal authorities with cracking down on illegal immigration. 

The order authorizes state law enforcement to help U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers with the removal of the migrants, along with other enforcement operations. It also requests that Virginia cities and towns authorize their local law enforcement to help with the deportation and arrest operations.

“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 in a statement. “Dangerous criminal illegal immigrants should not be let back into our communities to assault, rape and murder. They should be sent back where they came from.” 

The order directs the Virginia State Police to enter into a Task Force Model Memorandum of Understanding with ICE. The agreement will establish a State Police Task Force of federally deputized officers.

The order comes as the Trump administration works to crack down on illegal immigration, which soared during the Biden administration, and close the U.S. southern border. 

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.