Mayor's Office
900 E. Broad St., Suite 201
Richmond, VA
23219 USA
Phone: 804-646-7970
Fax: 804-646-7987
Email: [email protected]
Richmond’s response to federal immigration action
Last updated on 1/22/26 at 11:15 a.m.
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“As Mayor, and as an immigrant myself, I’m incredibly proud of Richmond’s vibrant diversity and immigrant communities.
As I've shared in the past, RPD Chief Rick Edwards, Richmond City Council President Cynthia Newbille, and I stand united in supporting our city’s residents, including our immigrant neighbors, and protecting the trust between our communities and local law enforcement. I believe strongly that Richmond must remain a city where every resident feels safe accessing services, reporting crimes, and engaging with local government—regardless of immigration status.”
— Mayor Danny Avula
This page will continue to be updated with resources and information as they become available.
Updates
- Jan 22, 2026; On Thursday morning, Chesterfield Police staged at Fire Station #17 (221 Semmes Ave.) in Richmond to conduct a police operation unrelated to immigration. This operation was supported by the Richmond Police Department.
- Jan. 22, 2026; Mayor Danny Avula on federal immigration activities
- Aug. 12, 2025; Statement from Mayor Danny Avula on recent ICE activity in Richmond
- Jul. 30, 2025: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Activity in Richmond Neighborhood (Instagram)
Richmond Police Department’s role
The Richmond Police Department is committed, first and foremost, to keeping our communities safe, quickly responding to incidents that threaten public safety, and restoring order when the peace has been disrupted. RPD officers are here to protect our neighborhoods, not to enforce federal immigration policies.
- The Richmond Police Department has not signed and will not sign a 287(g) agreement with ICE.
- The Richmond Police Department will always identify themselves clearly and have the City’s police badge on their sleeve. Learn how to identify RPD officers (Instagram).
Additional resources
- The Richmond Community Legal Fund provides referrals and financial support for legal representation (available in English and Spanish ).
- Help1RVA is an online navigation platform that connects people with short-term assistance related to housing, childcare, transportation, and food access.
- The Legal Aid Justice Center offers legal representation to low-income clients of all immigration statuses.
- The Central Virginia Legal Aid Society provides free legal services for citizens and documented residents of the U.S.
- The City of Richmond’s Office of Immigrant and Refugee Engagement connects City residents with needed services. Call 804-646-0145 during business hours or email [email protected].
- Virginia 2-1-1 collects resources for legal representation, housing, healthcare, and family support. You can also call 211 for information about these resources.
