{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/19.2-81.6.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/19.2-81.6.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/19.2-81.6.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/19.2-81.6.html"}],"law_id":72697,"edition_id":1,"section_id":72697,"structure_id":13638,"section_number":"19.2-81.6","catch_line":"Authority of law-enforcement officers to arrest illegal aliens","history":"2004, cc. 360, 412.","full_text":"All law-enforcement officers enumerated in \u00a7 19.2-81 shall have the authority to enforce immigration laws of the United States, pursuant to the provisions of this section. Any law-enforcement officer enumerated in \u00a7 19.2-81 may, in the course of acting upon reasonable suspicion that an individual has committed or is committing a crime, arrest the individual without a warrant upon receiving confirmation from the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement of the United States Department of Homeland Security that the individual (i) is an alien illegally present in the United States, and (ii) has previously been convicted of a felony in the United States and deported or left the United States after such conviction. Upon receiving such confirmation, the officer shall take the individual forthwith before a magistrate or other issuing authority and proceed pursuant to \u00a7 19.2-82.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":261643,"text":"All law-enforcement officers enumerated in \u00a7 19.2-81 shall have the authority to enforce immigration laws of the United States, pursuant to the provisions of this section. Any law-enforcement officer enumerated in \u00a7 19.2-81 may, in the course of acting upon reasonable suspicion that an individual has committed or is committing a crime, arrest the individual without a warrant upon receiving confirmation from the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement of the United States Department of Homeland Security that the individual (i) is an alien illegally present in the United States, and (ii) has previously been convicted of a felony in the United States and deported or left the United States after such conviction. Upon receiving such confirmation, the officer shall take the individual forthwith before a magistrate or other issuing authority and proceed pursuant to \u00a7 19.2-82.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":13638,"edition_id":1,"name":"Arrest","identifier":"7","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12801,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:45:27","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:45:27","permalink":{"id":170919,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13638,"identifier":"7","token":"19.2\/7","url":"\/19.2\/7\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12801,"edition_id":1,"name":"Criminal Procedure","identifier":"19.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:53","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:53","permalink":{"id":168169,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12801,"identifier":"19.2","token":"19.2","url":"\/19.2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":57792,"structure_id":13638,"section_number":"19.2-71","catch_line":"Who may issue process of arrest","url":"\/19.2-71\/","token":"19.2\/7\/19.2-71","metadata":false},{"id":56060,"structure_id":13638,"section_number":"19.2-72","catch_line":"When it may issue; what to recite and require","url":"\/19.2-72\/","token":"19.2\/7\/19.2-72","metadata":false},{"id":62110,"structure_id":13638,"section_number":"19.2-73","catch_line":"Issuance of summons instead of warrant in certain cases","url":"\/19.2-73\/","token":"19.2\/7\/19.2-73","metadata":false},{"id":70049,"structure_id":13638,"section_number":"19.2-73.1","catch_line":"Notice of issuance of warrant or summons; appearance; failure to appear","url":"\/19.2-73.1\/","token":"19.2\/7\/19.2-73.1","metadata":false},{"id":83253,"structure_id":13638,"section_number":"19.2-73.2","catch_line":"Law-enforcement officers to issue subpoenas; penalty","url":"\/19.2-73.2\/","token":"19.2\/7\/19.2-73.2","metadata":false},{"id":57508,"structure_id":13638,"section_number":"19.2-74","catch_line":"Issuance and service of summons in place of warrant in misdemeanor case; issuance of summons by special conservators of the peace","url":"\/19.2-74\/","token":"19.2\/7\/19.2-74","metadata":false},{"id":68524,"structure_id":13638,"section_number":"19.2-74.1","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/19.2-74.1\/","token":"19.2\/7\/19.2-74.1","metadata":false},{"id":79219,"structure_id":13638,"section_number":"19.2-75","catch_line":"Copy of process to be left with accused; exception","url":"\/19.2-75\/","token":"19.2\/7\/19.2-75","metadata":false},{"id":80529,"structure_id":13638,"section_number":"19.2-76","catch_line":"Execution and return of warrant, capias or summons; arrest outside county or city where charge is to be tried","url":"\/19.2-76\/","token":"19.2\/7\/19.2-76","metadata":false},{"id":68951,"structure_id":13638,"section_number":"19.2-76.1","catch_line":"Submission of quarterly reports concerning unexecuted felony and misdemeanor warrants and other criminal process; destruction; dismissal","url":"\/19.2-76.1\/","token":"19.2\/7\/19.2-76.1","metadata":false},{"id":66460,"structure_id":13638,"section_number":"19.2-76.2","catch_line":"Mailing of summons in certain cases","url":"\/19.2-76.2\/","token":"19.2\/7\/19.2-76.2","metadata":false},{"id":83631,"structure_id":13638,"section_number":"19.2-76.3","catch_line":"Failure to appear on return date for summons issued under \u00a7 19.2-76.2","url":"\/19.2-76.3\/","token":"19.2\/7\/19.2-76.3","metadata":false},{"id":61047,"structure_id":13638,"section_number":"19.2-77","catch_line":"Escape, flight and pursuit; arrest anywhere in Commonwealth","url":"\/19.2-77\/","token":"19.2\/7\/19.2-77","metadata":false},{"id":85927,"structure_id":13638,"section_number":"19.2-78","catch_line":"Uniform of officer making arrest","url":"\/19.2-78\/","token":"19.2\/7\/19.2-78","metadata":false},{"id":79468,"structure_id":13638,"section_number":"19.2-79","catch_line":"Arrest by officers of other states of United States","url":"\/19.2-79\/","token":"19.2\/7\/19.2-79","metadata":false},{"id":66672,"structure_id":13638,"section_number":"19.2-80","catch_line":"Duty of arresting officer; bail","url":"\/19.2-80\/","token":"19.2\/7\/19.2-80","metadata":false},{"id":60845,"structure_id":13638,"section_number":"19.2-80.1","catch_line":"When arrested person operating motor vehicle; how vehicle removed from scene of arrest","url":"\/19.2-80.1\/","token":"19.2\/7\/19.2-80.1","metadata":false},{"id":81296,"structure_id":13638,"section_number":"19.2-80.2","catch_line":"Duty of arresting officer; providing magistrate or court with criminal history information","url":"\/19.2-80.2\/","token":"19.2\/7\/19.2-80.2","metadata":false},{"id":60675,"structure_id":13638,"section_number":"19.2-81","catch_line":"Arrest without warrant authorized in certain cases","url":"\/19.2-81\/","token":"19.2\/7\/19.2-81","metadata":false},{"id":62476,"structure_id":13638,"section_number":"19.2-81.1","catch_line":"Arrest without warrant by correctional officers in certain cases","url":"\/19.2-81.1\/","token":"19.2\/7\/19.2-81.1","metadata":false},{"id":62627,"structure_id":13638,"section_number":"19.2-81.2","catch_line":"Power of correctional officers and designated noncustodial employees to detain","url":"\/19.2-81.2\/","token":"19.2\/7\/19.2-81.2","metadata":false},{"id":86739,"structure_id":13638,"section_number":"19.2-81.3","catch_line":"Arrest without a warrant authorized in cases of assault and battery against a family or household member and stalking and for violations of protective orders; procedure, etc","url":"\/19.2-81.3\/","token":"19.2\/7\/19.2-81.3","metadata":false},{"id":55203,"structure_id":13638,"section_number":"19.2-81.4","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/19.2-81.4\/","token":"19.2\/7\/19.2-81.4","metadata":false},{"id":55495,"structure_id":13638,"section_number":"19.2-81.5","catch_line":"Cooperation with a law-enforcement officer","url":"\/19.2-81.5\/","token":"19.2\/7\/19.2-81.5","metadata":false},{"id":72697,"structure_id":13638,"section_number":"19.2-81.6","catch_line":"Authority of law-enforcement officers to arrest illegal aliens","url":"\/19.2-81.6\/","token":"19.2\/7\/19.2-81.6","metadata":false},{"id":61276,"structure_id":13638,"section_number":"19.2-82","catch_line":"Procedure upon arrest without warrant","url":"\/19.2-82\/","token":"19.2\/7\/19.2-82","metadata":false},{"id":56295,"structure_id":13638,"section_number":"19.2-82.1","catch_line":"Giving false identity to law-enforcement officer; penalty","url":"\/19.2-82.1\/","token":"19.2\/7\/19.2-82.1","metadata":false},{"id":84938,"structure_id":13638,"section_number":"19.2-83","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/19.2-83\/","token":"19.2\/7\/19.2-83","metadata":false},{"id":78541,"structure_id":13638,"section_number":"19.2-83.1","catch_line":"Report of arrest of school employees and adult students for certain offenses","url":"\/19.2-83.1\/","token":"19.2\/7\/19.2-83.1","metadata":false},{"id":54610,"structure_id":13638,"section_number":"19.2-83.2","catch_line":"Jail officer to ascertain citizenship of inmate","url":"\/19.2-83.2\/","token":"19.2\/7\/19.2-83.2","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":55495,"structure_id":13638,"section_number":"19.2-81.5","catch_line":"Cooperation with a law-enforcement officer","url":"\/19.2-81.5\/","token":"19.2\/7\/19.2-81.5","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":61276,"structure_id":13638,"section_number":"19.2-82","catch_line":"Procedure upon arrest without warrant","url":"\/19.2-82\/","token":"19.2\/7\/19.2-82","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/19.2-81.6\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 2004. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapters 360<\/a> and 412<\/a> of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year.<\/p>","references":[{"id":61276,"section_number":"19.2-82","catch_line":"Procedure upon arrest without warrant","order_by":null,"url":"\/19.2-82\/"}],"refers_to":[{"id":60675,"section_number":"19.2-81","catch_line":"Arrest without warrant authorized in certain cases","order_by":null,"url":"\/19.2-81\/"},{"id":61276,"section_number":"19.2-82","catch_line":"Procedure upon arrest without warrant","order_by":null,"url":"\/19.2-82\/"}],"permalink":{"id":171017,"object_type":"law","relational_id":72697,"identifier":"19.2-81.6","token":"19.2\/7\/19.2-81.6","url":"\/19.2-81.6\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/19.2-81.6\/","token":"19.2\/7\/19.2-81.6","dublin_core":{"Title":"Authority of law-enforcement officers to arrest illegal aliens","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 19.2-81.6","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

All law<\/span>-enforcement officers enumerated in \u00a7 19.2-81<\/a> shall have the authority to enforce immigration laws<\/span> of the United States, pursuant to the provisions of this section. Any law<\/span>-enforcement officer enumerated in \u00a7 19.2-81<\/a> may, in the course of acting upon reasonable suspicion that an individual has committed or is committing a crime<\/span>, arrest<\/span> the individual without a warrant upon receiving confirmation from the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement of the United States Department of Homeland Security that the individual (i) is an alien illegally present in the United States, and (ii) has previously been convicted of a felony<\/span> in the United States and deported or left the United States after such conviction<\/span>. Upon receiving such confirmation, the officer shall take the individual forthwith before a magistrate<\/span> or other issuing authority and proceed pursuant to \u00a7 19.2-82<\/a>.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nAUTHORITY OF LAW-ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS TO ARREST ILLEGAL ALIENS (\u00a7 19.2-81.6)\n\nAll law-enforcement officers enumerated in \u00a7 19.2-81 shall have the authority\nto enforce immigration laws of the United States, pursuant to the provisions of\nthis section. Any law-enforcement officer enumerated in \u00a7 19.2-81 may, in the\ncourse of acting upon reasonable suspicion that an individual has committed or\nis committing a crime, arrest the individual without a warrant upon receiving\nconfirmation from the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement of the\nUnited States Department of Homeland Security that the individual (i) is an\nalien illegally present in the United States, and (ii) has previously been\nconvicted of a felony in the United States and deported or left the United\nStates after such conviction. Upon receiving such confirmation, the officer\nshall take the individual forthwith before a magistrate or other issuing\nauthority and proceed pursuant to \u00a7 19.2-82.\n\nHISTORY: 2004, cc. 360, 412.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}