The VPM Daily Newscast contains all your Central Virginia news in just 5 to 10 minutes. Episodes are recorded the night before.
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Here’s a recap of the top stories on the morning of Feb. 28, 2025:
Youngkin issues immigration enforcement order
Reported by VPM News' Jahd Khalil
Gov. Glenn Youngkin has directed the Virginia State Police, and state and local corrections officials to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement plans.
In an executive order, which was signed Thursday, Youngkin asks for law enforcement to identify people currently incarcerated in Virginia jails and prisons who are flagged for potential deportation.
He also directs the Virginia State Police to enter into a Task Force Model” agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which would allow state troopers to “enforce limited immigration authority with ICE oversight during their routine police duties.”
Youngkin’s order is based on Section 287(g), a 1996 addition to the federal Immigration and Nationality Act giving ICE the authority to enter agreements with state and local law enforcement agencies to enforce federal immigration laws.
Youngkin said in his order that nearly 950 people incarcerated in VADOC facilities have open immigration detainers, which “indicate that federal immigration authorities have flagged these individuals due to their involvement in serious criminal activities.”
Voting rights restorations drop for 3rd year in a row under Youngkin
Reported by VPM News’ Dean Mirshahi
The number of Virginians who have had their voting rights restored by Gov. Glenn Youngkin after completing their felony sentences has dropped every year since he took office in 2022.
Youngkin rolled back the automatic restoration process used by his three most recent predecessors, instead evaluating applications on a case-by-case basis — a move that has drawn scrutiny and at least one federal lawsuit.
Virginia is the only U.S. state that permanently strips a person’s rights to vote, serve on a jury, be a public notary and run for public office for a felony conviction unless the governor restores them, according to the Brennan Center for Justice.
Youngkin restored the rights of 1,641 people from Jan. 17, 2024, through Jan. 16, according to an annual report from the secretary of the commonwealth. Previous reports show Youngkin restored the rights of more than 2,600 people over the same period the previous year, and over 4,300 in his first year in office.
“It continues to seem like this governor is picking and choosing his voters, and no governor should get to do that,” Shawn Weneta, a legislative liaison for The Humanization Project, told VPM News.
News you might have missed from around the commonwealth:
- UVA Health CEO Kent resigns (VPM News)
- The Lake Monticello HOA got more than $600K in PPP loan money. The feds want it back. (The Daily Progress)*
- Richmond Ambulance Authority wants to talk to 911 callers again (The Richmonder)
*This outlet utilizes a paywall.
