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Miyares wants U.S. agencies to intervene in Va. magnet school’s admissions
The admissions process at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology was challenged again this week as Virginia’s attorney general and an activist group aimed to revive a debate over whether the policy unfairly discriminates against Asian American students. Attorney General Jason S. Miyares (R) on Wednesday said that his office had completed a two-year investigation into the admissions process at Thomas Jefferson, the prestigious Northern Virginia magnet school locally known as TJ. He said the probe found that the Fairfax County district’s decision to switch to a more holistic admissions policy violated the Virginia Human Rights Act and the federal Civil Rights Act.
‘It was not an accident’: Va. AG says Thomas Jefferson High School’s admissions policy violates civil rights laws
Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares said he’s found proof of racial discrimination tied to Fairfax County Public Schools’ admissions policy at Thomas Jefferson High School, even though the admissions policy was litigated all the way to the Supreme Court and ruled constitutional. Miyares announced the findings of his investigation Wednesday at the Korean Community Center in Annandale, not far away from the high school.
Miyares accuses Fairfax County school system of anti-Asian discrimination in Thomas Jefferson High admissions
The battle over Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology’s student admissions policy isn’t quite over after all. More than a year after the U.S. Supreme Court passed on an opportunity to weigh in, Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares accused Fairfax County Public Schools today (Wednesday) of “intentional” discrimination against Asian American students applying to the magnet school in Annandale. A state investigation found that acceptance of Asian American students to Thomas Jefferson High School (also known as TJ) has declined since the Fairfax County School Board updated its admissions policy five years ago — a result that Miyares claims was “the intended outcome.”
Virginia’s governor says Arlington County ‘standing in the way’ of federal immigration enforcement
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin slammed Arlington County on Wednesday for breaking an agreement with immigration authorities, a week after the county just outside of the nation’s capital voted to stop alerting federal agents when they arrest migrants accused of violent crimes. Mr. Youngkin, a Republican, delivered the broadside while celebrating the arrest of more than 1,000 illegal immigrants suspected of major crimes as part of an ongoing operation by the Virginia Homeland Security Task Force.
Del. Gilbert says he will step down as leader if the caucus has new elections
House Republican Caucus Leader Todd Gilbert has told colleagues he will step down if they call for a new leadership election — a move that comes as he’s in the running for the U.S. attorney position in Virginia’s Western District. “The team we’ve built can’t afford sudden disruptions—either in planning or leadership,” Gilbert said in a statement to Virginia Scope Wednesday night. All 100 House seats are up for election this November. Democrats currently hold a 51-49 majority. “This election is absolutely critical for the future of our Commonwealth,” Gilbert continued.
Youngkin, 19 Republican governors sign letter supporting bill that would cut billions from Medicaid
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed onto a joint letter with other Republican governors in support of a “big beautiful bill” backed by President Donald Trump that is currently advancing through Congress and would cut $625 billion from Medicaid over the next decade if passed. The federal program helps states provide health care coverage to low-income people and those with disabilities. Democratic lawmakers, advocacy groups, Medicaid beneficiaries and some Republicans have cautioned against the proposal for months.
Gerry Connolly, Democratic congressman and fixture of Virginia politics, dies at 75
U.S. Rep. Gerald “Gerry” Connolly, an outspoken Democrat who sought key reforms in the federal government while bringing transformational development to his populous Virginia district, died Wednesday. He was 75. Connolly, who most recently held a prominent position as the ranking member of the House Oversight Committee, served in Congress for more than 16 years. He died at home in the company of family members, his family said in a statement. Connolly announced in 2024 that he had esophageal cancer and said a few months later that he planned to retire from Congress. His death leaves House Republicans with a 220-212 majority.
Corporations pull sponsorships from Virginia's largest Pride event
Two corporate sponsors have pulled out of Pridefest, the largest LGBTQ+ celebration in Virginia, organizers tell Axios. It's part of a nationwide pivot for corporate America in which many companies that previously embraced Pride are walking back support following President Trump's crackdown on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. "We're at a point now, if more pulled out, it's going to make a big difference," James Millner, the director of Virginia Pride, tells Axios. "This is the first time — and this is my 11th year doing this — where I really had this feeling of constant uncertainty about what was going to happen."
DOJ opens civil rights probe into Virginia high school’s admissions policies following Miyares referral
The Justice Department has opened a civil rights investigation into Fairfax County Public Schools in Virginia over the use of race in admissions to its top-ranked Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology. Last year, the US Supreme Court declined to hear arguments over the same allegations, but this investigation signals that the Trump administration will use the civil rights division to challenge affirmative action policies – a longtime hot-button issue for conservatives who claim that such admissions policies focus more on race than they do academic achievement. The investigation follows a referral from the state attorney general who announced Wednesday that his office had found reasonable cause to believe the district and the school discriminated against Asian American students on the basis of race.
Youngkin, Bondi announce Virginia task force surpasses 1,000 arrests of undocumented immigrants
U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi and Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin announced Wednesday that the Virginia Homeland Security Task Force has surpassed 1,000 arrests of undocumented immigrants accused of violent crimes. Speaking from the U.S. Department of Justice, Bondi praised the task force’s efforts, attributing the operation’s success to the Trump administration’s renewed focus on immigration enforcement.