(The Center Square) – Over 500 “violent illegal immigrants” have been arrested in Virginia since February, according to Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin.

Speaking Monday on a national network interview, he is touting the crackdown as a “national model.”

“We have arrested 521 violent illegal immigrants, over 130 of which are known members of international terrorist gangs,” Youngkin said. “And these are folks that have been taken off the streets of Virginia, and we’re a lot safer because of this.”

In February, the governor signed an executive order directing state law enforcement and corrections officers to assist with federal immigration enforcement. Youngkin believes the commonwealth’s partnership with federal authorities could stand as a “national model.”

The governor says the numbers include members of the El Salvadoran gang MS-13 and the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua.

Youngkin said the individuals are currently being held by federal authorities, where they are “being processed and charged in an appropriate way, case by case by case, and they’re being deported as appropriate.”

The governor credits the cooperation and partnership with the Trump administration, including Attorney General Pam Bondi, FBI Director Kash Patel, Tom Homan, the border czar, and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.

Patel echoed the governor’s national model idea, applauding the commonwealth’s partnership with federal law enforcement.

“The Virginia Homeland Security Task Force is a model for every state in the country on effective collaboration between federal law enforcement agencies and state and local partners working every day to make America safer,” said Patel. “The FBI is proud to work with Attorney General Bondi, Governor Youngkin, and Virginia AG Miyares in this effort. Our early numbers so far have been a tremendous success, but we are just beginning.”

Bondi agrees with Patel and Youngkin, describing the partnership as “unprecedented.”

“This is the product of unprecedented collaboration between state and federal law enforcement entities working to protect Virginia’s communities,” said the attorney general.“Governor Youngkin and Attorney General Miyares have been incredible partners with the Department of Justice, and we will collaborate with every state in effectuating President Trump’s Make America Safe agenda.” 

The governor says law enforcement officials can “unwind” criminal networks “to go find the next group of these illegal, violent criminals.” He believes it will lead to further arrests “going forward … it’s a long-term effort in order to make sure that we unwind this gang activity.”

Last month, the U.S. Department of Justice announced that state and federal authorities had arrested a MS-13 ringleader for the East Coast in Prince William County, Va.

During Monday’s interview, Youngkin compared what is happening in his state versus its neighbor, Maryland.

Youngkin said, “I think it’s incredibly important to compare what’s going on in Virginia to what’s going on in other states, like in Maryland, where you actually see a senator and governor stand up for someone who, in fact, was a member and is a member of a gang, as found by multiple judges, and they’re standing up to protect that person. Listen, we’re going to work in Virginia to make sure these folks are arrested.”