 Under the leadership of Thomas Jefferson, the new state of Virginia in 1778 became the first state and one of the first jurisdictions anywhere to stop the importation of slaves for sale; it made it a crime for traders to bring in slaves from out of state or from overseas for sale; migrants from other states were allowed to bring their own slaves.The new law freed all slaves brought in illegally after its passage and imposed heavy fines on violators.All the other states followed suit, although South Carolina reopened the slave trade in 1803.