The Department of Justice (DOJ) is warning that Virginia risks becoming "the next California" in the Trump administration's fight against resistance to federal immigration enforcement after filing a new lawsuit last week."We are suing Virginia to prevent Virginia from becoming the next sanctuary jurisdiction, just like California," DOJ Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Division Brett Shumate told Fox News Digital in a Zoom interview.The lawsuit, first shared with Fox News Digital earlier in June, argues Virginia is violating the Constitution by trying to regulate federal law enforcement operations, including restrictions on agents' masks, identification requirements and conditions on local cooperation with ICE."Under our Constitution, the states do not get to regulate or dictate how the federal government performs its duties, and that is especially the case when it comes to law enforcement.Virginia passed two bills in this newest session, one that restricts the ability of law enforcement officers to wear facial coverings and requires officers, federal agents, to wear identification badges," said Shumate.FIRST ON FOX: DOJ SUES SPANBERGER’S VIRGINIA OVER LAWS KNEECAPPING FEDERAL AGENTS AS MASK WAR ESCALATESActing Attorney General Todd Blanche testified during a Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies hearing at the Dirksen Senate Office Building on May 19, 2026, in Washington, D.C.
(Nathan Posner/Anadolu via Getty Images)He said the other bill "restricts cooperation agreements between local law enforcement agencies, like sheriffs, and ICE to voluntarily cooperate with federal immigration enforcement."The lawsuit names Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones and left-wing Fairfax County Commonwealth Attorney Steve Descano — who was previously backed by groups connected to George Soros. While DOJ has not heard back from state officials, Shumate shared that the department feels confident about the previous case due ...