Recent large-scale immigration enforcement operations in Ruckersville, Greene County have left many central Virginia residents with questions about how federal immigration policies work, who is most affected and what ongoing changes could mean for local communities. 

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A free public presentation in Ruckersville on Friday, July 10 aims to provide some answers. The presentation will be delivered by Charlottesville resident Alyson Ball, who says she has researched immigration policy for years and is a volunteer with the International Rescue Committees. Ball has written that she spent the last 10 winters in southern Arizona, independently studying the U.S.-Mexico border so that she can inform the general public about immigration. In this session, she will offer a nonpartisan overview of the U.S. immigration system, explain recent policy changes and discuss which community members are currently most vulnerable, according to a description of the upcoming event. 

Ball regularly gives presentations on immigration around Charlottesville and Central Virginia. Two years ago, for example, she gave a presentation at The Center at Belvedere in Charlottesville in partnership with the community organization Welcoming Charlottesville. She is a retired adjunct faculty member at the University of Virginia’s School of Continuing and Professional studies and volunteers with immigrant support groups in Arizona in addition to the IRC in Charlottesville. Her presentation will be followed by a question-and-answer session.

The presentation, titled “U.S. Immigration: An Overview,” will take place at 6:30 p.m. at Westover United Methodist Church, located at 2801 Fredericksburg Rd. in Ruckersville, VA.

Take action

Learn about federal immigration policies and how they affect central Virginia communities

If you’re interested in learning about U.S. immigration policies and how they’re affecting communities in central Virginia and beyond, you can attend a public presentation in Ruckersville this Friday, July 10. 

It will  take place at 6:30 p.m. at Westover United Methodist Church, located at 2801 Fredericksburg Rd in Ruckersville, VA.

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Editor’s note: This Short and Important report was updated on July 9, 2026 to include more information about the speaker at the event.

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Hi! I’m Allie, Charlottesville Tomorrow’s Public Institutions Reporter. I'm a corps member with Report for America and part of the Open Campus cohort of journalists who report on higher education.