Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) has recommended changes to bills on immigration enforcement from a Fairfax County state senator.
State Sen. Saddam Azlan Salim (D-37) had introduced Senate versions of the bills to restrict federal immigration enforcement in certain places, prevent law enforcement from wearing masks and ban state and local law enforcement agreements with federal immigration enforcement.
The bills came amid growing local and national opposition to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement actions under President Donald Trump, including two fatal shootings of people protesting in Minnesota. As of yesterday (Tuesday), 47 people in the U.S. have died in ICE custody since Trump took office for a second term in January 2025.
SB 351 (and companion bill HB 650) would restrict federal immigration enforcement in areas like polling places, hospitals, health care facilities and schools, unless an officer has a valid judicial warrant.
The bill passed by the General Assembly specifically:
- Barred civil arrests, including for immigration purposes, in a courthouse unless the officer presents identification, a judicial warrant authorized by a court or judge, and a reason why they need to enter the courthouse to make the arrest
- Prohibited police or other security personnel assigned to the courthouse from letting someone in without meeting those requirements
- Defined a violation of the ban on civil arrests without a warrant in courthouses as contempt of court, which can be punished in Virginia with a fine of $250 or up to 10 days in jail
- Allowed Virginia’s attorney general to bring civil charges against violators
Spanberger’s substitute, however, narrows the scope of the restrictions around civil arrests at courthouses. Her amendment adds state and local courthouses to a list of protected locations that also includes health care facilities, schools, commonwealth’s attorney offices and polling places without any additional limitations other than a judicial warrant.
It also drops the section specifying how prohibited arrests should be penalized, stating only that the law “shall [not] be construed” to nullify claims of qualified immunity and setting a two-year limit for civil lawsuits to be brought for violations.
SB 352 (and HB 1482) would ban law enforcement from wearing face masks, except for health and safety exemptions granted under the legislation. The governor’s substitute removes a Class 1 misdemeanor for a mask-wearing violation, as well as a requirement for law enforcement to wear identifying information and the name of the agency when performing duties.
Salim shared opposition to Spanberger’s amendments on SB 351 and 352.
“I am deeply concerned about the amendments to SB351 and SB352 because they fall short of the urgent need to protect immigrant communities and uphold basic principles of fairness, dignity, and public safety,” Salim said in a statement. “These bills were meant to draw a clear line against abuse, fear, and unnecessary cruelty. The amendments would make the bills toothless, a right without a remedy.”
#ICEOUT
— Senator Saddam Azlan Salim (@salimforva.bsky.social) April 14, 2026 at 12:53 PM
The state senator did not comment on Spanberger’s amendments to his SB 783 (and companion bill HB 1441), which ban state and local law enforcement from entering agreements to assist with federal civil immigration enforcement.
While the text of the Senate bill’s amendment isn’t yet available online, Spanberger made a minor amendment to the House version, striking an exception for transferring adults convicted of violent felonies from prisons and jails to instead cover any adult facing a judicial warrant. The General Assembly-passed versions already provide an exception for any transfers based on a judicial warrant or subpoena.
FFXnow has reached out to Salim’s office for comment on SB 783.
The governor did sign a pair of bills guaranteeing K-12 public school education regardless of immigration status of the child or their parents without amendments. The Senate version (SB 491) was introduced by Fairfax County state Sen. Stella Pekarsky (D-36). The right to public education is federally protected under a Supreme Court ruling.
“No student should be denied the right to an education, and no student should fear going to school because they are scared of being disappeared by ICE,” Pekarsky said. “This is an extremely important measure that will ensure ICE cannot freely access students’ information and school property without a judicial warrant.”
