Winning back the right to drive
Undocumented immigrants lost the right to legally drive in Virginia in 2004 after widespread fear of terrorist attacks made way for anti-immigrant legislation. That meant that many people were forced to choose between losing their jobs and risking jail time and possible deportation for driving on a suspended license. In 2020, after more than a decade of organizing and legislative advocacy as part of the Drive Virginia Forward Coalition and the Virginia Coalition for Immigrant Rights, undocumented and under-documented Virginians won back the right to drive through the implementation of Driver’s Privilege Cards.
Since the law went into effect in early 2021, over 40,000 immigrants have already received the new form of ID.
Statement on the Governor’s Executive Directive Ending Statewide 287(g) Agreements in VA
We are thrilled to see the Governor take this important step to sever the statewide 287(g) agreements that do nothing for community safety and harm our immigrant neighbors. This Executive Directive is a strong first step toward rebuilding community trust across Virginia. It is important that action does not stop here. The directive does not end or prohibit 287(g) agreements at the local level, and existing contracts between ICE and […]
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