Virginia
A high-level overview of immigration enforcement activity, school protection policies, and resources for families and educators in Virginia.
Overview
State context
Virginia has enacted meaningful state-level protections in recent years. The Virginia Values Act and other legislation passed in 2020 significantly strengthened civil rights protections broadly. Several Northern Virginia school districts — Fairfax County, Arlington, Alexandria City — have strong policies and serve among the largest Central American immigrant school populations in the country. ICE has been very active in Northern Virginia.
ICE activity
ICE has been extremely active in Northern Virginia, particularly in Prince William County, Loudoun County, and Fairfax County. MS-13 enforcement operations targeting young men in Northern Virginia schools garnered national attention and affected entire school communities. Interior enforcement operations occur regularly.
School policies
Fairfax County Public Schools, Arlington Public Schools, and Alexandria City Public Schools have adopted formal policies limiting cooperation with immigration enforcement and requiring judicial warrants before school access is granted. These districts serve hundreds of thousands of students from mixed-status families. The Virginia Department of Education has issued supportive guidance.
Notes for advocates
Northern Virginia has one of the largest and most established Central American immigrant communities in the country. Fairfax County schools have documented the significant impact of enforcement operations on student attendance and mental health. Prince William County had a contentious history with anti-immigration policies that were later reversed. Virginia's recent shift toward stronger protections reflects the growing political influence of its diverse population.
Is your district protected?
Find out whether your school district has a warrant-based policy in place, and what you can do if it doesn't.