Virginia legislation · 2026 Regular Session
Virginia SB351: An Act to amend and reenact §§ 8.01-327.1, 8.01-327.2, 22.1-279.8, 24.2-604, 24.2-671, and 24.2-802.1 of the Code of Virginia and to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Article 5 of Chapter 8 of Title 8.01 sections numbered 8.01-327.3 and 8.01-327.4, by adding a section numbered 19.2-81.7, and by adding in Article 2 of Chapter 8 of Title 23.1 a section numbered 23.1-808.3, relating to prohibiting certain acts in furtherance of federal immigration enforcement in certain protected areas; exceptions; penalties.
Status: Vetoed, May 20, 2026
Prohibiting certain acts in furtherance of federal immigration enforcement in certain protected areas; exceptions; penalties. Prohibits certain federal civil immigration enforcement activities in certain protected areas including any courthouse, within 40 feet of any polling place or building used as a meeting place for the local electoral board while the electoral board meets to ascertain the results of an election, and any place or facility owned by the Commonwealth that is a hospital or other health care facility, a school or public institution of higher education, or an office of the attorney for the Commonwealth. The bill prohibits any civil arrest in a courthouse pursuant to a civil administrative warrant, subject to certain exceptions such as service or enforcement of an order for failure to pay child support or for any arrest occurring in connection with a court proceeding that is taking place or is scheduled to take place. The bill provides that such provisions shall not apply when such arrest is authorized by a judicial warrant or judicial subpoena. The bill also authorizes a local school board to include in its written school crisis, emergency management, and medical emergency response plan a procedure for notifying school board employees and parents of enrolled students of the presence of certain individuals on school property for immigration investigation or enforcement purposes. The bill requires each public institution of higher education to adopt a policy that requires an individual present on campus to investigate compliance with, enforce, or assist in an investigation or enforcement of any federal immigration law to present a valid judicial warrant or judicial subpoena before accessing any nonpublic area of the campus. This bill is identical to HB 650.
What the bill says
To amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Article 5 of Chapter 8 of Title 8.01 a section numbered 8.01-327.3, relating to performance of civil immigration arrests in certain areas; limitations. 1. That the Code of Virginia is amended by adding in Article 5 of Chapter 8 of Title 8.01 a section numbered 8.01-327.3 as limitations. A. No person with the lawful authority to perform civil immigration arrests shall conduct a civil immigration arrest in any of the following locations unless authorized by a valid judicial warrant that such person has in his possession at the time of the 2. Any.