In the wake of President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown, Democrats in Virginia’s legislature passed a handful of bills to help combat what they see as injustices by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE. Governor Abigail Spanberger signed some of those bills earlier this week, but immigration advocates hope legislators will reject some she amended.
It will soon be illegal for Virginia schools to use a student's immigration status to deny them an education. That effort and others are among reasons immigration advocates like Luis Aguilar with the group CASA are thanking the governor this week.
“We had the majority, I’d say 2/3rds? Did not receive an amendment," Aguliar told Radio IQ. "So, it's quite good.”
One signed effort limits the sharing of some data with federal agencies; another extends the duration of drivers' privilege cards for non-citizens. CASA also supported, and Spanberger approved, new rules for businesses to protect employees from heat illness, the $15 minimum wage and removing a farm-worker exception from that new minimum wage.
But they didn’t have success on every issue. A bill to limit immigration arrests in courthouses was amended with language Aguilar says weakened it.
“We think it enables ICE administrative warrants which is completely what we do not want," Aguilar said.
That bill and a short list of others made it into a letter CASA sent to elected officials asking them to not accept Spanberger’s amendments.
A bill aiming to ban the use of masks by federal immigration officers also made the list. Bill author Senator Sadam Salim said changes include removing liability for the officers and moving much of the work under a state agency which will weaken it.
“Every time somebody wears a mask, am I getting kidnapped or is it law enforcement? I can’t tell anymore," Salim told Radio IQ. "That is what the big fear is among a lot of folks.”
Legislators return to Richmond Wednesday to consider these and other amendments from the governor.
