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Virginia2026Enacted

SB351

Prohibiting Immigration Enforcement at Certain Places

Last scannedAug 22, 2026, 5:26 AM

In one sentence

This act stops certain federal civil immigration activities within courthouses, polling places, hospitals, schools, and other public buildings in Virginia.

What it does

  • Prohibits federal civil immigration enforcement actions within 40 feet of polling places or local electoral board meeting rooms during election results meetings.
  • Prohibits civil arrests based on administrative warrants in courthouses unless the arrest is for child support issues or related to a court proceeding.
  • Allows school boards to include procedures for notifying parents and staff about immigration enforcement activities on school grounds.
  • Requires public institutions of higher education to have policies that require federal agents investigating immigration laws to show valid judicial warrants before entering nonpublic areas.

Who it affects

  • People involved in federal civil immigration enforcement
  • Courthouse visitors and workers
  • School board employees, parents, and students
  • Public institution of higher education staff and students

Limits and unknowns

  • The bill was vetoed by the Governor due to concerns about potential legal conflicts between state and federal laws.
  • It does not address how security personnel and local law enforcement should handle situations involving both state and federal laws.

Plain language

Terms to know

Civil administrative warrant
A legal document issued by a government agency to enforce civil laws.
Judicial warrant or subpoena
An official order from a judge that allows law enforcement to take specific actions, such as making an arrest or searching property.

Official record

Sources

Validated

Official summary

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.

Official activity

Bill history

  1. Governor's Veto Received by SenateSenate
  2. Vetoed by GovernorGovernor
  3. Passed by for the daySenate
  4. Communicated to GovernorSenate
  5. Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., May 23, 2026Governor
  6. Passed by for the day Block Vote (21-Y 18-N 0-A)Senate
  7. Governor's recommendation received by SenateGovernor
  8. Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026Senate
  9. Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026Governor
  10. Signed by SpeakerHouse
  11. Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026Senate
  12. Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026Governor
  13. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB351)Senate
  14. Signed by PresidentSenate
  15. EnrolledSenate
  16. Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB351ER)Senate
  17. Conference Report releasedConference
  18. Conference Report releasedConference
  19. Conference report agreed to by House (62-Y 35-N 0-A)House
  20. Conference report agreed to by Senate (21-Y 18-N 0-A)Senate

Changes

Amendments

4 stored

SB351AC

JOINT CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REPORT We, the conferees, appointed by the respective bodies to consider and report upon the disagreeing vote on Senate Bill No.

SB351G

(SB351) GOVERNOR'S RECOMMENDATION I approve the general purpose of this bill, but I am returning it without my signature with the request that the attached Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute (26110354D) be accepted.

SB351S2

2026 SESSION SENATE SUBSTITUTE 26109956D SENATE BILL NO.

SB351S3

2026 SESSION SENATE SUBSTITUTE 26110354D SENATE BILL NO.