One candidate for Virginia governor will cooperate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to deport illegal immigrants and the other won’t.
Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle Sears agrees with enforcing immigration laws, reporter Nick Minock posted on social media.
“ICE and the Virginia State Police are arresting illegal immigrants like you see in the story below. In July, Virginia Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears told me she would continue state police partnership with ICE. Today, it was reported Abigail Spanberger would not.” EMBED:
ICE and the Virginia State Police are arresting illegal immigrants like you see in the story below.
— Nick Minock (@NickMinock) August 27, 2025
In July, Virginia Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears told me she would continue state police partnership with ICE.
Today, it was reported Abigail Spanberger would not. https://t.co/DVaTGeNkjc
Meanwhile, if Democratic governor candidate Abigail Spanberger wins election, then she will rescind a February order from Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s February directive requiring Virginia law enforcement to help deport illegal immigrants, according to a report from the Virginia Mercury.
“I would rescind his executive order, yes,” Spanberger told The Mercury about Executive Order 47. “Our immigration system is absolutely broken,” she said. “The idea that we would take local police officers or local sheriff’s deputies in amid all the things that they have to do, like community policing or staffing our jails or investigating real crimes, so that they can go and tear families apart … that is a misuse of those resources.”
Youngkin has previously said that 2,500 violent illegal immigrants have been arrested through the Virginia Homeland Security Task Force. He’s aligned himself with Pres. Trump's immigration policy.
Youngkin, who can't run for governor this election, posted on social media:
"In her very first act as governor, @SpanbergerForVA promises to turn Virginia into a sanctuary state for dangerous illegal immigrants. @winwithwinsome promises to keep dangerous criminals off our streets. Could the choice be any more clear, Virginia? Your safety is on the ballot this November."
In her very first act as governor, @SpanbergerForVA promises to turn Virginia into a sanctuary state for dangerous illegal immigrants. @winwithwinsome promises to keep dangerous criminals off our streets. Could the choice be any more clear, Virginia?
— Glenn Youngkin (@GlennYoungkin) August 27, 2025
Your safety is on the… https://t.co/bGwqsQ8MaX
Winsom Sears is a legal immigrant from Jamaica. She agrees with deporting illegal immigrants.
The disagreement over state policy overshadows a larger immigration debate. The Trump administration wants to deport illegal immigrants and remove them from public programs such as Medicaid, Medicare, and food programs. But first, it needs lists of people enrolled in state welfare programs.
About 20 states have sued the Trump administration over its attempt to obtain this information.
While running for president, Trump promised to stop illegal immigration, carry out the largest deportation in American history, and protect cuts to Social Security and Medicare.
In Atlanta last week, Vice President J.D. Vance said that only people who are in the country legally should get taxpayer benefits.
“I happen to believe that Medicaid belongs to American workers and American families," Vance said. "I happen to believe that when you are struggling in this country, we’re a generous people and we want to help you. But we want to help the people who have the legal right to be in the United States of America.”
Virginians will decide their next governor in September.