Virginia Law

Whenever any person is committed to a correctional facility for the commission of a felony, the director, sheriff or other officer in charge of such facility shall inquire as to whether the person (i) was born in a country other than the United States and (ii) is a citizen of a country other than the United States. The director, sheriff or other officer in charge of such facility shall make an immigration alien query to the Law Enforcement Support Center of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for any person committed to the facility for the commission of a felony who (i) was born in a country other than the United States and (ii) is a citizen of a country other than the United States, or for whom the answer to clause (i) or (ii) is unknown.

In the case of a jail, the sheriff, or other officer in charge of such facility shall communicate the results of any immigration alien query that confirm that the person is illegally present in the United States to the Local Inmate Data System of the State Compensation Board. The State Compensation Board shall communicate, on a monthly basis, the results of any immigration alien query that results in a confirmation that the person is illegally present in the United States to the Central Criminal Records Exchange of the Department of State Police in a format approved by the Exchange.

In the case of a correctional facility of the Department of Corrections, the director or other officer in charge of such facility shall communicate the results of any immigration alien query that results in a confirmation that the person is illegally present in the United States to the Central Criminal Records Exchange of the Department of State Police in a format approved by the Exchange.

The information received by the Central Criminal Records Exchange concerning the person's immigration status shall be recorded in the person's criminal history record.

However, notification shall not be made to the Central Criminal Records Exchange if it is apparent that a report on alien status has previously been made to the Exchange pursuant to § 19.2-83.2 or 19.2-294.2.

Code 1950, §§ 53-313, 53-314; 1970, c. 648; 1982, c. 636; 1985, c. 247; 1994, c. 579; 2008, cc. 180, 415; 2014, c. 641; 2020, cc. 995, 996.

Upon the official request of the United States immigration officer in charge of the territory or district in which is located any court committing any alien to any correctional facility for the commission of a felony, it shall be the duty of the clerk of such court to furnish without charge a certified copy, in duplicate, of the complaint, information or indictment and the judgment and sentence and any other records pertaining to the case of the convicted alien.

Code 1950, § 53-315; 1982, c. 636; 2020, cc. 995, 996.

When a treaty between the United States and a foreign country provides for the transfer to such foreign country, with the consent of the appropriate state authorities, of convicted offenders in state correctional systems who are citizens or nationals of such foreign country, the Governor is authorized, subject to the terms of such treaty, to act on behalf of the Commonwealth and to consent to the transfer of such convicted offenders.

Code 1950, § 53-315.1; 1978, c. 620; 1982, c. 636.

With the consent of the appropriate state authorities, the Immigration and Naturalization Service may, following notification under § 19.2-294.2, take physical custody of and responsibility for any alien convicted of any (i) felony offense involving murder, rape, robbery, burglary, larceny, extortion, or abduction, or (ii) illegal drug violation designated as a felony under Article 1 (§ 18.2-247 et seq.) of Chapter 7 of Title 18.2. The director, sheriff or other official in charge of the facility in which such alien is incarcerated may enter into an agreement, which includes provisions relating to reimbursement, with the Immigration and Naturalization Service to retain custody or supervision of such alien until he is deported or until other mutually satisfactory arrangements are made to transfer custody of such alien to the Service.

1985, c. 247.

The Director, sheriff, or other official in charge of the facility in which an alien is incarcerated may, upon receipt of a detainer from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, transfer custody of the alien to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement no more than five days prior to the date that he would otherwise be released from custody. Upon transfer of custody, notwithstanding any other provision of law, the alien shall receive credit for the number of days remaining before he would otherwise have been released.

2015, cc. 102, 211.