West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey signed an executive order Thursday, Jan. 30, directing all state law enforcement agencies to fully cooperate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in addressing illegal immigration. 

As of Thursday, 72 individuals in the state have been identified and detained for immigration violations, with 10 being transferred out of state. Of the remaining 62 detainees, 13 are serving sentences for crimes, including violent offenses, in state prisons and jails. The move is part of a broader national crackdown on undocumented immigration under the Trump administration, which Morrisey supports. 

Morrisey says this number could change in the following hours, and more meetings are to come next week. 

“I want to do everything I can to protect West Virginia, and part of that is working with President Trump to crack down on the illegal immigration issues and challenges facing our state,” Morrisey said.

Morrisey believes illegal immigration in West Virginia is closely linked to the state’s ongoing drug epidemic, arguing that a weakened border policy has allowed illegal immigrants and drugs to cross the southern border and make their way to West Virginia, contributing to overdoses. 

“For many years, people have talked about, ‘Well, West Virginia is not a border state; why is it relevant here?’” Morrisey said. “Well, it’s relevant because of the drug plague and the fentanyl that comes in.” 

Morrisey sent a letter to local law enforcement agencies urging them to fully cooperate with ICE and ensure the Trump administration’s executive order is implemented across the state. 

“We’re trying to urge them to fully cooperate with President Trump’s executive order and our executive order so that we can actually ensure that we have people on the ground — the folks that are protecting our citizens every single day,” he said.

The executive order aims to ensure cooperation between state agencies like the West Virginia State Police and Homeland Security Division and federal agencies like ICE. Local law enforcement agencies are also expected to comply, helping to implement President Trump’s immigration policies on a state level.

Morrisey’s administration has called for continued collaboration with the Trump administration. Further updates are expected.