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Make Some Noise! 📣 OPPOSE SB 615
SB 615 (committee substitute) https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/sb615%20sub1.pdf would mandate that WV state and local police assist in federal immigration enforcement. Specifically, it would require state and local law enforcement to notify federal immigration authorities regarding persons with illegal immigration status, and it would prohibit local jurisdictions from passing laws to the contrary.
History:
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Introduced Jan 27 -
Committee Substitute Passed Senate Judiciary Committee Feb 3. -
Senate 1st Reading Feb 4 -
Senate 2nd Reading Feb 5 (no amendments) -
Senate 3rd Reading laid over Feb 6 -
Likely to be voted on the Senate floor on Monday, Feb 9.
This onerous bill is headed for passage in the Senate.
Contact your Senators (you have two) and ask them to vote against this bill.
Background:
According to news reports, at least 650 individuals have been rounded up in WV and detained for immigration violations, overburdening local jails. The number of cases involving state or local police has not been released, but the impact has been: ICE raids in West Virginia overstep constitutional limits https://mountainstatespotlight.org/2026/01/31/ice-arrests-surge-court-skepticism/ .
WVMetroNews reported Feb 8 https://wvmetronews.com/2026/02/08/local-law-enforcement-in-west-virginia-gets-perks-for-partnerships-with-ice/?fbclid=IwY2xjawP104VleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeVt9SxHEUYJVs5vSwkZf9TrQZfsVa0XAZs-03TDlajlO9HP-iZB6_4czb294_aem_56Ids-FZ_VINHk797vYhdA on the roles of WV state and local law enforcement in the anti-immigrant surge in our state and the Federal dollars being used to entice them to participate.
Some detainees, who appealed their detentions in Federal court, already have been found to be detained illegally — Judge orders third ICE detainee released https://mountainstatespotlight.org/2026/02/04/third-ice-detainee-released/ and Federal judge orders release of fourth WV immigrant detainee wrongly jailed https://westvirginiawatch.com/2026/02/05/federal-judge-orders-release-of-fourth-wv-immigrant-detainee-wrongly-jailed/. More such cases are likely to follow.
Extending WV state/local law enforcement into this morass of Federal immigration enforcement will make things worse. Federal money will incentivize unconstitutional arrests and detentions. LWVWV OPPOSES SB 615.
Find your Senators here ... https://wvecouncil.org/wv-legislature/senate/
