The Shadow
The reversal of Biden-Harris open border policies after January 20, 2025, helps protect American lives.
Coming into office, Trump had to confront the impacts of Biden-Harris open border policies on many levels.
One of these was on the trafficking of synthetic opioids, mainly fentanyl. Because of the explosion in fentanyl trafficking, the leading cause of death for Americans aged 18-45 is fentanyl overdose.
Accordingly, Trump signed my HALT Fentanyl Act into law, permanently designating lethal fentanyl-related substances as Schedule I narcotics.
This bill helps law enforcement fight the fentanyl epidemic.
In May 2025, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) reported the largest fentanyl bust in the agency’s history.
The record-setting DEA operation seized more than 400 kilograms of fentanyl.
Trump’s crackdown on the fentanyl crisis will continue to protect American lives.
Another Trump life-protecting policy involves making American roads safe again.
In parts of the country, illegal aliens are obtaining commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs). In many cases, these aliens do not understand basic driving rules and cannot read road signs because they can’t read English.
In California, CDL tests are offered in 20 languages!
This poses immense danger to the millions of Americans who drive.
In February 2026, an illegal alien semi-truck driver swerved into oncoming traffic and struck a van in a head-on collision.
This reckless action killed four innocent lives.
The illegal alien faces four counts of reckless homicide and three counts of criminal recklessness. He came to the U.S. under the Biden-Harris parole program, CBP One. The program allowed illegal aliens to use the CBP One app on their mobile device to submit an application for parole and stay in the United States.
In April 2025, Trump cancelled this program. Additionally, the Department of Transportation is requiring all truckers and bus drivers to take CDL tests in English.
The above measures reflect the Trump Administration’s commitment to protecting American lives from disastrous Biden-Harris open border policies.
While important strides have been made to this point, progress has partially stalled due to the sanctuary policies of progressive communities and States.
In cities like Chicago and Minneapolis, local progressive officials continue to call for the active obstruction of federal efforts to detain and deport criminal illegal aliens.
As a result, dangerous threats and attacks are mounting on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.
Unfortunately, Virginia is not immune from these sanctuary policies.
In Arlington County, local officials advise residents to call 911 if they see ICE operations.
In Fairfax County, its “Trust Policy” restricts local information sharing with federal immigration enforcement agencies.
Governor Spanberger is piggybacking off these harmful policies to provide refuge to criminal illegal aliens.
After Spanberger assumed office, she issued an Executive Directive that terminated a successful Governor Youngkin policy.
Youngkin used 287(g) agreements to improve cooperation between local and state law enforcement in working with federal immigration authorities.
This increased cooperation helped efforts to remove criminal illegal aliens from Virginia communities.
In the first seven months of 2025, more illegal immigrants were arrested than the total amount from 2024.
This arrest tally included 130 gang members!
However, Spanberger’s recent actions made it more difficult to protect Virginia communities.
Spanberger signed a Directive to terminate 287(g) agreements between Virginia State Police and the Virginia Department of Corrections.
Due to Spanberger’s actions, federal efforts to arrest criminal illegal aliens in Virginia have been hampered, thereby making the Commonwealth a more dangerous place.
And Virginia communities are paying the price. Recently, an illegal alien with an extensive criminal history murdered a Virginia mother by stabbing her in the neck.
Recently, two other illegal aliens were charged with murder.
These murders took place in the sanctuary jurisdiction of Fairfax County.
Many sheriffs in the Ninth District of Virginia continue to use 287(g) agreements. Recently, Franklin County arrested an illegal alien charged with sex crimes. Using their 287(g) agreement, they are working with ICE to determine the appropriate next steps to be taken.
I believe in restoring law and order in Virginia communities and removing violent criminal illegal aliens. That is why I helped lead a Virginia Republican delegation letter pushing back on Spanberger’s actions.
I am also an original co-sponsor of H.R. 8077, a bill that encourages states and localities to adopt 287(g) agreements as a condition of federal funding eligibility.
Sanctuary policies endanger Virginia communities. I will continue to stand against these harmful policies and support actions that remove violent, criminal illegal aliens so that Virginia can be a safer place to live.
If you have questions, concerns, or comments, feel free to contact my office. You can call my Abingdon office at 276-525-1405 or my Christiansburg office at 540-381-5671. To reach my office via email, please visit my website at https://morgangriffith.house.gov/.
