Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger signs order requiring state to issue guidance on immigration enforcement at polling pla

Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) signed an executive order on May 20 requiring the state Department of Elections to issue guidance for election workers on engaging with federal immigration officers at polling places, among other directives.

There is no timeline for when the agency must issue the guidelines, but the order requires the department to consult with relevant stakeholders before doing so.

The order requires the state Department of Elections to develop guidance on engaging with “persons with the lawful authority to perform civil arrests who conduct or attempt to conduct a federal civil immigration arrest at a polling place when the polls are open and ballots are being counted, or within one hour of polls opening or after closing.”

“Public trust in state and local law enforcement is being undermined by the aggressive tactics used by federal immigration officials,” Spanberger said in a statement. “Today, Virginia is taking important steps to help deepen trust in our law enforcement and provide clear guidance to Virginians who are most likely to interact with federal immigration officials.”




https://news.ballotpedia.org/2026/05/22/virginia-gov-abigail-spanberger-signs-order-requiring-state-to-issue-guidance-on-immigration-enforcement-at-polling-places/