Law-enforcement agencies; agreements with federal authority for immigration enforcement.

This legislation prohibits local law-enforcement agencies in Virginia from entering into agreements with federal authorities to act as immigration enforcement officers. By barring local police from performing federal immigration duties—often referred to as 287(g) agreements—the bill seeks to ensure that local resources are dedicated exclusively to enforcing state and local laws. Supporters argue that this policy encourages community trust by ensuring that residents can interact with police, report crimes, or serve as witnesses without fear of immigration consequences. Opponents, however, contend that this limitation hinders cooperation between local and federal agencies. For Arlington residents, this means that local police departments will not be authorized to detain or process individuals specifically for federal immigration violations, regardless of federal requests.