Virginia AG on Immigration Crackdown, MS-13 Arrests, and Sanctuary Cities

Federal Partnership in Gang Crackdown

• 💡 Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares highlights transformative intelligence and cooperation from the current justice department.
• 🎯 An intergovernmental task force, involving state, local, and federal agencies, successfully tracked and arrested a top MS-13 leader in Woodbridge, Virginia.
• 🤝 This collaboration demonstrates how working together can quickly dismantle transnational gangs like MS-13 and TDA.
• 📈 Homeland Security and Virginia law enforcement have made 342 total arrests, including 19 from TDA and 28 from MS-13.

Challenges Posed by Sanctuary Cities

• ⚠️ Miyares identifies sanctuary cities as a significant challenge, where some local officials act as "social workers" instead of law enforcement.
• 🚫 Instances are cited where local sheriffs and law enforcement were prohibited from cooperating with federal agencies like ICE, even for individuals with prior arrests.
• 🚨 A specific case involved an MS-13 gang member indicted on rape charges who was released on bond and evaded capture due to lack of local cooperation.
• 🗣️ Governor Youngkin is taking measures, stating that sanctuary city status is unacceptable and that jurisdictions not cooperating are working against citizen safety.

Virginia's Stance on Cooperation

• ✅ Virginia has issued an Attorney General's opinion stating that cooperation with federal authorities (ICE, DEA, FBI) is not prohibited and is encouraged.
• 💰 Governor Youngkin is using the state budget to incentivize cooperation, suggesting that resources will be contingent on local adoption of policies that work with federal authorities.
• 🌍 Transnational gangs are involved in drug dealing, human trafficking, and extortion, often exploiting vulnerable populations.
• ⚖️ The AG emphasizes that prioritizing politics over people's safety is shameful and that cooperation is essential for protecting citizens.