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“The General Assembly was well within its legal authority to pass this law and to put statutory requirements in place to ensure Virginia’s already resource-constrained localities and law enforcement agencies are not devoting critical resources toward carrying out responsibilities that rest solely with the federal government.” — Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones

A federal judge has temporarily blocked key provisions of a Virginia law restricting cooperation between local law enforcement agencies and federal immigration authorities. (Photo by Nicole Neri/Minnesota Reformer)

By Markus Schmidt

A federal judge has temporarily blocked Virginia from enforcing key provisions of a new law restricting cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities, allowing existing partnerships with U.S. Immigration and Customs enforcement to continue while the legal challenge plays out. 

Senior U.S. District Court Judge Robert Payne in Richmond issued a preliminary injunction Monday, barring the commonwealth from applying the law against federal immigration officers, employees or agencies and from interfering with existing agreements under Section 287(g) of federal immigration law. 

(Photo by Getty Images)

By Charlotte Rene Woods

Of an estimated 100,000 people whom state health leaders predicted were vulnerable to losing their Affordable Care Act insurance in Virginia, 94,000 have dropped it so far this year, according to new numbers from the State Health Benefit Exchange. 

There were 389,000 enrollees in 2025 and 295,000 enrollees as of this week. 

The reduction is attributed in part to the expiration of subsidies that had helped expand the ACA marketplace to people whose incomes are further below the federal poverty level. Debate over the issue triggered a government shutdown last year and Congress ultimately elected to let the subsidies lapse.  

A passenger's view from a plane's wing. (Photo by Julia Shumway/Oregon Capital Chronicle)

By Nathaniel Cline

The Federal Aviation Administration announced on Monday that the Washington Manassas Airport can begin offering service to certain commercial passenger airlines, opening the door to more flight opportunities for the Washington region, including Northern Virginia. 

Washington Manassas Airport, formerly  Manassas Regional, will become the fourth commercial airport in the Washington region, giving travelers another choice and possibly expanding economic activity, local leaders said.

By Jennifer Shutt

The U.S. House approved a short-term government funding bill Tuesday that would avoid a shutdown this fall once President Donald Trump signs it. 

The 370-48 vote showed neither Republicans nor Democrats want a repeat of the funding lapse that took place last year when disagreement over enhanced Affordable Care Act tax credits led to a historic 43-day shutdown. 

The stopgap spending bill, which the Senate approved in early August, would provide mostly flat funding for federal departments and agencies to keep up and running from the start of the new fiscal year on Oct. 1 through Dec. 11. 

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