VADC - Virginia Association of Democratic Chairs

03/02/2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Tina Winkler, Chair of Chairs, VA Association of Democratic Chairs, [email protected]

The Virginia Association of Democratic Chairs Condemn DHS Immigration Enforcement Tactics, Demand Accountability, and Urge an End to Local Cooperation with ICE
The Virginia Association of Democratic Chairs condemns the conduct of the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in recent operations and call for urgent accountability, transparency, and restraint.

The fatal shootings of Renée Nicole Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis are among the most recent and alarming incidents raising serious questions about DHS leadership, the use of force, and adherence to de-escalation protocols. A Reuters investigation reported that official accounts of multiple encounters have been contradicted by verified video and other evidence—deepening public concern and eroding trust. (Reuters)
Beyond these tragedies, we are alarmed by patterns that communities across the country have documented and experienced: aggressive tactics that heighten fear, disregard civil liberties, and sweep in people who are not threats to public safety. Publicly available detention statistics also underscore the mismatch between DHS rhetoric and reality. For example, TRAC reports that a large majority of people held in ICE detention have no criminal conviction. (Trace Reports)

Americans in many communities have mobilized to demand accountability, transparency, and a pause on ICE operations until the agency’s conduct is fully and independently evaluated. We firmly condemn any act of violence against law enforcement officers. At the same time, we reject attempts to label peaceful demonstrations as “riots” as a means to delegitimize lawful protest and excuse escalating uses of force.

We urge residents to contact their state and local elected officials and advocate for an immediate end to cooperation with ICE. Constituents should also contact their local sheriff’s offices to affirm that local law enforcement has both a moral and legal responsibility to ensure federal agencies operating in their communities comply with constitutional, federal, and state law.
We further call on Governor Abigail Spanberger to maintain Virginia’s refusal to be drawn into expanded federal immigration enforcement partnerships, oppose any effort to establish new detention centers in the Commonwealth, and—if necessary—use every lawful tool available to protect the safety and rights of Virginians. (Virginia Governor's Office)

Current federal actions do not reflect a genuine commitment to public safety. Instead, they have too often created fear, confusion, and disorder. Despite our nation’s complicated history, the United States has long aspired to welcome newcomers with dignity and hope—a principle we must continue to defend.
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23/03/2025

VADC’s Quarter 1 meeting was a great way to start the day at the Central Committee meeting Saturday! Our Chair of Chairs, Tina Winkler, kicked off the meeting with a lively panel discussion on social media usage with (left to right)Josh Norris, member of the Danville Democratic Committee, Dustin Keith, Chair of the Russell County Democratic Committee, and Brad Skipper, Chair of the Shenandoah County Democratic Committee.
A special visit from gubernatorial candidate Abigail Spanberger was the highlight of the meeting, followed by a training materials update from DPVA’s political department.

19/03/2023

What an outstanding day in SWVA yesterday! A packed room of Dems from all over SWVA gathered for the first VADC SWVA Chairs Summit. Learning, sharing and strategizing on how we can win in ‘23, ‘24 and beyond is key to our success! Thank you to the Democratic Party of Virgina and the Rural GroundGame for making the trek to Wytheville for this very important day! Thank you to Virginia Blue Star Printing for our beautiful programs and to Tyler Hughes for entertaining us! thanks to Lynlee G. Thorne, and Taysha Lee DeVaughan for taking folks to hit the doors and put our strategy to the test! To the multitude of volunteers who made the day happen, I am forever grateful! We could not do this work without you!
-Roberta Thacker-Oliver, SW Vice-Chair VADC

25/05/2022

Yesterday, families had to deal with the unthinkable, going home, never to speak to their most precious gifts ever again. Our hearts go out to them and will forever be with them.

We grieve for the families that lost so much yesterday. The only answer to this level of grief is action. Under Democratic leadership we saw the most lifesaving and impactful gun reform ever passed in Virginia. And we refuse to go back.

We, the collective group of 127 members of the Virginia Association of Democratic Chairs, stand firmly behind the Democratic Party of Virginia in calling upon Lt. Governor Sears to cancel her keynote address at the NRA conference. The time for political speeches is over, we need action.

14/05/2022

Thank you Senator Warner for attending our first Chair’s breakfast this morning! Being a chair is a difficult task and having the support of people like our Senior Senator is paramount to the success of local committees.

13/02/2022

Please share with your committees!

Marriage equality and voting rights are too important to leave up to a handful of people. Virginia voters deserve to have the final say!

20/04/2021

VADC is honored to have Michael Lee Pope moderating our second statewide Candidate Forum with Lt. Governor candidates Xavier Warren, Sam Rasoul, Sean Perryman, Andria McClellan, Mark Levine and Hala Ayala.
Michael Pope is an award-winning author and journalist who lives in Old Town Alexandria. He has reported for NPR, WAMU 88.5 News, the New York Daily News, Connection Newspapers and the Tallahassee Democrat. A native of Moultrie, Ga., he grew up in Durham, N.C., and graduated high school in Tampa, Fla. He has a master’s degree in American Studies from Florida State University, and he is a former adjunct professor at Tallahassee Community College. Pope is the author of four books

27/03/2021

The first-ever VADC event is now in the books! Thank you to everyone who spent their Friday night with us to learn about the Democratic candidates for Attorney General. A special thanks to our moderator Amy Friedenberger of the Roanoke Times, Lissa Savaglio for organizing, Ricardo Alfaro for handling the technology, Tina Winkler, Roberta Thacker-Oliver, and many Democratic Chairs who helped get the word out!

15/03/2021

VADC is very excited that Amy Friedenberger will be moderating our first statewide Candidate Forum with Attorney General candidates Mark Herring and Jay Jones!
Amy Friedenberger is The Roanoke Times politics and policy reporter and has been with The Roanoke Times since 2014.