Virginia Leads in Sanctuary Cities

The Center for Immigration Studies has added 36 localities in Virginia to its sanctuary map, bringing the total to 84. This development positions Virginia as a leading state in terms of sanctuary jurisdictions, according to the center's analysis based on Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE) data. Jessica Vaughn, the center's director of policy studies, expressed concern over the increasing number of sanctuary areas, arguing that they hinder ICE operations and contribute to rising crime rates. Vaughn highlighted the challenges faced by ICE, which has had to redirect its limited resources to re-arrest violent offenders released by local jails instead of being transferred to ICE custody. She called for state and federal lawmakers to implement policies that would prevent local law enforcement from disregarding ICE protocols and to impose penalties on those who do. The center has been tracking sanctuary localities since 2015, revealing that over 10,000 migrants arrested for local crimes have been released back into communities due to sanctuary policies, often leading to reoffending. The lack of a federal definition for sanctuary cities allows many localities to adopt such policies without using the term. Fairfax County, for instance, reaffirmed its commitment to protecting migrants' immigration status in 2021. A notable case involved a Honduran man accused of child sex crimes, who was released despite an ICE detainer and subsequently reoffended, prompting ICE to intervene later. The ongoing debate over sanctuary policies continues to evoke strong opinions, with advocates arguing for immigrant protections while critics emphasize public safety concerns.