Richmond city council unanimously approves 'Trust Policy' resolution on immigration status sharing

RICHMOND, Va. — Richmond City Council unanimously approved a resolution Monday night directing Mayor Danny Avula to develop policies preventing city staff and departments from sharing the immigration status of residents with federal immigration officials.

The resolution directs Avula's administration to develop clear guidance on "the limits of the City's cooperation with federal immigration enforcement authorities" — including sharing the immigration status of residents seeking city services, with some exceptions. The resolution says it is needed to strengthen public trust and was introduced by 9th District Councilmember Nicole Jones.

"A lot of it is about community members being able to come and understand what the role of the city is in government, and really how they can come and get resources and services due to the nature of whether they're undocumented or not documented," Jones said.

Advocates rallied outside Richmond City Hall ahead of the vote, saying fear of ongoing federal immigration enforcement was leading some residents to avoid seeking city services.

Speaking through an interpreter, Richmond resident Maria Lopez de Leon said a city policy would give her peace of mind.

"I've experienced violence and I've tried to report that, but I stopped before doing it because the fear of the fact that this could incriminate me is is like keeps me from pushing from going forward with that claim," Lopez de Leon said.

Richmond Police Chief Rick Edwards raised similar concerns during his 2025 mid-year crime briefing, when he noted a decrease in domestic violence calls in an apartment complex with a large Latino population.

"I'm sure there are women who are being abused in Southwood who are not calling the Richmond Police Department and that concerns me greatly," Edwards said.

Advocates also called for the city to end its use of automated license plate readers, known as ALPRs.

"ALPRs are a violation of privacy and the federal agencies can and have access to our data," one advocate said.

The city restricted federal access to its ALPR data in 2025 after federal officials used the city's data for immigration enforcement, and expanded those restrictions in May along with policies to distance itself from ICE. In early September, Avula shortened the amount of time ALPR data was kept and said the city would reevaluate its relationship with the technology, though he has not ended its use entirely.

"It's time for us to take a step back and make sure that we're, again, listening well to our community," Avula said.

In a statement, Avula applauded the passage of the resolution and added, in part, "By clearly defining how information is shared and safeguarded, we are reinforcing our commitment to safety and dignity for all of our residents."

Avula said he looks forward to sharing more about the policy in the coming weeks. The resolution sets a deadline for the policy to be submitted to council by the end of the year.

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