Spanberger Says Virginia Is Not a Sanctuary State While Three Fairfax Murder Suspects Are Illegal Aliens

April 13, 2026 Cat2, Illegal Immigration
Jim Vallee via shutterstock

A three-month-old baby girl was beaten to death in Fairfax County by her Guatemalan father who entered the country illegally.

That happened while Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger was cutting off the state's 287(g) cooperation agreements with ICE.

Now she's telling reporters "Virginia is not a sanctuary state – full stop" and daring anyone to disagree.

Three Murders and a Governor Talking Points

Spanberger stepped outside the executive mansion in Richmond Wednesday to push back on what she called "misinformation" about her immigration policies.

She said ending the 287(g) program – which allowed Virginia State Police to work under ICE supervision – was simply about protecting the integrity of state law enforcement.

"I don't think it is responsible for me as governor or the Commonwealth of Virginia to put Virginia State Police under the supervision or direction of ICE," she said.

What she didn't mention: DHS reports that illegal aliens have allegedly committed 75% of all murders in Fairfax County so far in 2026.

Abdul Jalloh – a Sierra Leone national with more than 30 prior arrests – stabbed Stephanie Minter to death at a bus stop.

Anibal Armando Chavarria Muy machete-stabbed a man to death in Bailey's Crossroads.

Misael Lopez Gomez beat his three-month-old daughter to death.

Spanberger's response to all of it was a press conference about semantics.

Tom Homan Already Knows How This Ends

Tom Homan has a message for Abigail Spanberger, and he delivered it without decoration.

"Elections have consequences," Homan told Fox News Digital. "She ran on a law enforcement position. She is a much different person now since she's in that governor's slot."

ICE is not asking Spanberger's permission to do its job in Virginia.

"We'll just send more teams into the streets, into the neighborhoods," Homan said. "Because we're going to do the job that President Trump promised – to make this country safer again, especially against illegal aliens that committed other crimes while they're here."

Street operations are more dangerous than jail transfers – for officers, for communities, and for the aliens themselves.

Homan has the blueprint that works: let ICE into the jails.

"Give us custody in your jail before you release them," he said. "You can see the crime rate drop significantly."

Minneapolis did exactly that – and Homan called it a model for what Virginia could be.

Spanberger is turning that down while a baby is dead in Fairfax County.

The Poll She Doesn't Want to Talk About

The Washington Post released a poll last week showing Spanberger with the lowest approval rating of any Virginia governor since the 1990s.

Her approval stands at 47% – 13 points below the average for Virginia governors in Post polling dating back three decades.

Political scientist Larry Sabato called the drop "stunning."

Glenn Youngkin was at 54-39 approval at this same point in his term. Mark Warner hit 78% here. Spanberger is underwater in her first three months.

She dismissed the poll Wednesday by pointing to her redistricting referendum – noting that supporters are putting her face on mailers.

"I would say if everybody hated me, why is everybody putting my face on their mailers for the referendum," she said.

That's her defense.

Not the murder rate. Not the dead baby in Fairfax. Not the machete stabbing or the bus stop killing.

The redistricting mailers.

The Bill Sitting on Her Desk

Here's what Spanberger didn't address Wednesday: there's a bill on her desk right now that would codify her sanctuary policies into permanent state law.

Sen. Saddam Salim's legislation would ban Virginia law enforcement from honoring any ICE detainer unless an officer is presented with a judicial warrant signed by a judge.

Federal law doesn't require that. ICE administrative detainers have never required court approval – that's a standard that exists nowhere else in federal law enforcement, invented here specifically to make deportation harder.

Spanberger has until April 13 to sign, veto, or amend the bill.

If she signs it, the next Abdul Jalloh, the next Misael Lopez Gomez, walks out of a Fairfax County jail while ICE waits on a warrant the law never required.

Tom Homan has been doing this job for 40 years. He knows exactly what happens next. He just told Spanberger – and she's choosing not to listen.

Sources:

  • Charles Creitz, "Spanberger breaks silence on 'sanctuary' claims as ICE clashes heat up," Fox News, April 9, 2026.
  • "Homan warns Spanberger blocking access to Virginia jails could force more ICE street operations: 'Do the job,'" Fox News Digital, April 9, 2026.
  • "Spanberger facing pressure to cooperate with ICE after slew of heinous illegal alien crimes rock Virginia," American Greatness, April 2, 2026.
  • "New poll reveals Spanberger's popularity is plummeting amid backlash over gerrymandering," Fox News, April 6, 2026.
  • "Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger's approval rating tanks," WJLA/ABC 7 News, April 7, 2026.
  • "Approval rating for Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger craters, poll shows," The Washington Times, April 7, 2026.