New policy establishes clear protections, limits City’s role in federal immigration enforcement, and ensures access to City services regardless of immigration status

Richmond, VA - Today, Mayor Avula, Councilmember Nicole Jones, members of Richmond City Council, City Administration, and community partners announced the launch of the City of Richmond’s Trust Policy, a new policy designed to protect immigrant and refugee residents, strengthen trust in local government, and ensure that every resident can access city services without fear.  

The Trust Policy establishes clear expectations for how City departments and employees interact with residents and handle personal information and reflects Richmond’s commitment to being a welcoming and inclusive city while ensuring compliance with applicable federal and state laws.  

The policy builds on Resolution No. 2026-033, introduced by Councilmember Jones and unanimously adopted by Richmond City Council. It was developed over several months through the Inclusive Communities Work Group, established by Mayor Avula in January to identify concrete steps the City could take to better support immigrant and refugee residents. 

The Trust Policy establishes the following protections and expectations: 

• Residents can access City services, benefits, and public facilities regardless of immigration status. 
• City employees may not request, access, or disclose certain personal information except when authorized or required by law and City policy  
• City personnel and resources will not be used to assist federal civil immigration enforcement except where required by law.  
• Richmond Police officers will not serve as federal immigration enforcement officers. 
• City employees may not threaten, coerce, or deny services based on a person’s actual or perceived citizenship or immigration status. 
• The prohibition of certain actions based on a person's citizenship or immigration status, including threats or coercion 
• That the Administration will establish guidance, training, and accountability requirements for City departments and employees  

The City will continue to comply with applicable federal and state laws, judicial warrants, and subpoenas requiring City action. The policy applies to departments and agencies under the authority of the Mayor and Chief Administrative Officer. 

Implementation and next steps  

The City is beginning a comprehensive implementation process to ensure the policy is consistently understood and followed across City government, with the goal of full implementation by the end of 2026. 

The implementation process includes training for more than 4,000 City employees, developing additional standard operating procedures and administrative guidance, and providing employees with clear instructions for responding to encounters with federal immigration enforcement officials. 

The policy is also being translated into seven languages: Spanish, French, Arabic, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, and Brazilian Portuguese. 

The City will continue working with immigrant and refugee community organizations to gather feedback, identify additional needs, and strengthen implementation. 

Today's announcement took place at Southside Plaza, home to the City's Office of Immigrant and Refugee Engagement (OIRE). The location reflects the City's broader efforts to make services more accessible by bringing City offices and resources closer to the communities they serve. 

The Trust Policy advances Pillar 5 of Mayor Avula's Mayoral Action Plan: building a thriving and inclusive Richmond where all residents have the opportunity to feel safe, valued, and connected to their community. 

Quotes and Statements from 10/19 Press Event  

“The Trust Policy conveys our unequivocal commitment to ensuring that every resident in our city, and especially Richmond's immigrant community, feels safe, feels welcome, and feels protected,” said Richmond City Council President Cynthia Newbille. “We are committed to ensure that every resident in our city, feel safe, welcome, and protected.”

”This policy started with the residents who helped make it happen, and today we get to celebrate together.  When we talk about building trust and community, we're talking about making sure every resident feels safe and supported. Neighborhood safety means every person feels safe calling for help, reporting a crime, or coming forward as a witness,” said Richmond City Councilmember Nicole Jones, 9 th District . “We cannot have safe neighborhoods when some of our neighbors are afraid to pick up the phone. A well-rounded life means being able to take your kids to school, go to work, see a doctor, and participate in the life of this city without looking over your shoulder. Thank you to everyone who has been part of bringing the Trust Policy forward.” 

“When I took office, I made a commitment that Richmond would be a city where every resident feels welcome, valued, and safe,” said Mayor Danny Avula . “As an immigrant myself, this commitment is deeply personal. Our immigrant and refugee neighbors are an essential part of what makes Richmond such a vibrant and special city and so today, with the launch of our Trust Policy, we’re taking an important step toward putting that commitment into practice. We’ll continue to do the work every day to serve, protect, and earn the trust of our immigrant and refugee neighbors.” 

"This policy is about turning our commitment to inclusive communities into clear, consistent practices across City government,” said Amy Popovich, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer for Human Services . “We’ve spent months working across departments, reviewing policies, and engaging community partners, and now our focus is on implementation: making sure employees understand their responsibilities, residents know what they can expect, and our services are accessible to everyone who needs them.” 

“We want every resident to feel safe calling us for help, reporting crime, or speaking with an officer. RPD’s focus is, and always will be, protecting the people of Richmond and working in partnership with the communities we serve. Our officers do not participate in federal immigration enforcement, and the new Trust Policy makes that even clearer,” said RPD Chief Rick Edwards. 

Djakaria Konate, President, African Community Network and 26 year veteran of the United States Army said during his remarks, ““The Trust Policy is well overdue. It is what I call the beginning of the end. The end of the dark era of systemic exclusions and the beginning of era of mutual trust and integration. My story, I'm sharing this because it's the story of many immigrants. We are contributing to the economy and social fabric of this nation. And many immigrants live right here in Richmond. So many immigrants are hardworking, decent individual. They are nurses, physicians, engineers, construction workers, and farm workers. They are never deterred by bad weather, by the pandemic, by low paying jobs, or discrimination, they face day to day. Many of us live in fear and anxiety today. Nobody is exempt, regardless of your immigration status. Hopefully, this policy will lower their fear and anxiety, make them more productive member of the society.” 

Carolina Luna, District 9 President, Latinx Hispanic Civic Association said in her remarks, “Becoming a USA citizens in 2017 was a proud milestone. But my heart was never left out for my neighbors who are still building a life here. Seeing the Trust Policy brings a deep relief and hope. Trust is everything. For us as the 1st Latin Civic Association, having RPD and the fire department, also all the city departments, doing meetings, cleanups, and community events is the best way to show our community that we are safe, protected, and supported. Thank you to everyone who continues to choose dignity and safety for all of Richmond.”  

Visit go.rva.gov/trust to read the Trust Policy.