A Petition: Demanding Cessation of State and Local Assistance in Immigration Operations

The petition can be found at https://shorturl.at/7oNB2.

We, the undersigned people of the State of West Virginia, hereby formally petition Governor Patrick Morrisey to cease and desist from authorizing, directing, or permitting the use of West Virginia state and local government resources in support of federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and/or Customs and Border Control (CBP) operations or activities.

This demand includes, but is not limited to, the use of:

·         West Virginia State Police

·         County Sheriffs and Deputies

·         Municipal Police Departments

·         Fire, rescue, and emergency medical services

·         Jails, prisons, or any property or personnel of the Department of Corrections

·         Any other state, county, or municipal personnel, equipment, funding, or facilities

West Virginia's public safety agencies and Department of Corrections exist to protect and serve the people of this state, not to act as extensions of federal immigration enforcement. The use of state and local assets for federal immigration operations undermines community trust, diverts critical emergency resources, and places vulnerable residents at heightened risk—ultimately making all West Virginians less safe.

We assert that:

1.      Immigration enforcement and border patrol are federal responsibilities, not  state and local ones.

2.      State and local agencies are not legally obligated to assist federal immigration agents absent a judicial warrant or court order.

3.      The involvement of local law enforcement and emergency services in immigration activities discourages cooperation with first responders, endangers public health and safety, erodes Constitutional protection, and compromises the safety of West Virginia's first responders.

4.      West Virginia resources must be preserved for genuine emergencies, disaster response, and crime prevention within our communities.

5.      West Virginia jails are already overcrowded and must not be further stressed by holding federal immigration detainees. These detainees are often not criminals and do not belong in our jails.

Accordingly, we demand that Governor Morrisey:

·         Issue an immediate directive prohibiting the use of state and local resources for immigration operations;

·         Refrain from entering or renewing any agreements, formal or informal, that entangle West Virginia agencies in federal immigration enforcement;

·         Publicly affirm that West Virginia's public safety personnel will not be used to target, detain, transport, or surveil individuals on behalf of federal immigration agencies.

This petition reflects our collective insistence that West Virginia remains a place where Constitutional rights, human dignity, and community safety are upheld. Our state resources must serve the people who live and work here—not be weaponized against them.

Signed in good faith by people 18 years of age or older residing in the state of  West Virginia.