Para ver esta noticia en Español, recorre hacia abajo del artículo.

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — Immigration attorneys report a significant surge in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations across Virginia over the past half-year.

Information from the Deportation Data Project, sourced from federal records, indicates that ICE agents have conducted at least 4,179 arrests in Virginia since January. This figure surpasses by five times the number of arrests made during the same timeframe in 2024.

“This level of ICE detentions — from courthouses to routine immigration enforcement — is unprecedented,” stated Charles Schmidt, president of the Richmond Community Legal Fund.

He said the role of an immigration attorney has taken on new urgency since the Trump administration’s second term began.

Schmidt mentioned that agents have become “more innovative” in their enforcement techniques, often using unmarked vehicles and masks, and collaborating with agencies like the FBI and state police. He described this as “unprecedented.”

The data also shows that 57% of those arrested are not facing criminal charges.

“That statistic is shocking, but not surprising,” he said.

Schmidt pointed out that many immigrants are detained during routine check-ins, despite following legal requirements.

“Whether someone has been granted asylum, holds a work visa, or is awaiting a case resolution, many need to perform regular check-ins,” he noted. “We’ve observed that when individuals check-in, doing what’s expected … they end up facing penalties.”

On Thursday, the Trump administration declared it is evaluating more than 55 million U.S. visas for potential infractions, which might also lead to deportations.

“That is a due process violation right there,” Schmidt said. “You know, not having sort of an arbitrary standard for saying, ‘We’re going to review these people’ and ‘we don’t like you.'”

To read more about the data in this story, click here.

Mira toda nuestra cobertura de Nexstar’s 8News en Español aquí.