Commonwealth's Attorney Parisa Dehghani-Tafti Issues Statement

Published on April 16, 2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 16, 2026

Commonwealth’s Attorney Parisa Dehghani‑Tafti Issues Statement on Governor Spanberger’s Immigration Bill Amendments

April 16, 2026, Arlington, Virginia: “I am deeply concerned that the amendments to SB351, SB352, and HB650 abandon the core values these bills were meant to uphold—dignity, legal integrity, and public safety within immigrant communities” Parisa Dehghani-Taft said. “These bills aimed to draw an unmistakable line opposing abuse, intimidation, and cruelty. Governor Spanberger's amendments erase that line, leaving behind rights without meaningful recourse.

We have in Arlington seen ICE in and outside of courtrooms in the last two weeks. Just last week, ICE is believed to have detained a woman immediately outside the courthouse who we suspected was a victim of sex trafficking. We now will [likely] have significant challenges in [not be able to] prosecuting her traffickers, which makes the community less safe. We are seeing the direct harm these amendments cause to victims and aim to hold perpetrators accountable and protect victims regardless of their immigration status.”

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