A. No law-enforcement officer, as defined in § 9.1-101, shall, in connection with the report, investigation, or prosecution of a criminal violation of state or local law, inquire into the immigration status of any person who (i) reports that he is a victim of the crime or is the parent or guardian of a minor victim of the crime or (ii) is a witness in the investigation of the crime or the parent or guardian of a minor witness to the crime.

Terms Used In Virginia Code 19.2-11.02

  • Guardian: A person legally empowered and charged with the duty of taking care of and managing the property of another person who because of age, intellect, or health, is incapable of managing his (her) own affairs.
  • State: when applied to a part of the United States, includes any of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the United States Virgin Islands. See Virginia Code 1-245

B. Nothing in this section shall prohibit a law-enforcement officer from inquiring into the immigration status of the parent or guardian of a minor victim if such parent or guardian has been arrested for, has been charged with, or is being investigated for a crime against the minor victim.

C. Nothing in this section shall affect the enforcement or implementation of § 18.2-59, subdivision 10 of § 18.2-308.09, or subdivision B 1 of § 18.2-308.2:2, or prohibit a law-enforcement officer from inquiring into a person’s immigration status to enforce or implement such sections.

2020, c. 273.

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