The Department of Homeland Security removed a list of “sanctuary jurisdictions” days after the agency posted it on its website.
The list included dozens of cities and counties across 37 states and the District of Columbia that DHS said were in noncompliance with federal statutes.
In practice, sanctuary jurisdictions prohibit local law enforcement from assisting federal immigration officials on immigration-related operations.
But the list quickly faced intense criticism from mayors and law enforcement confused as to why they had been included.
The administration has vowed to review federal disaster aid and other assistance that goes to “sanctuary jurisdictions.”
Days after the DOHS published a list of “sanctuary jurisdictions” on its website, the agency took it down.
The list contained dozens of counties and cities in 37 states and the District of Columbia that DHS claimed did not comply with federal laws.
“These jurisdictions must immediately review and update their policies to comply with Federal immigration laws and renew their duty to protect American citizens, not dangerous illegal aliens,” the DHS page said.
The list was supposed to be the latest in the Trump administration’s campaign to retaliate against local governments that it feels are impeding its plans to increase arrests and deportations related to immigration. It was posted late last week and went down on Sunday. Federal agencies have investigated reducing federal resources from “sanctuary” cities, and since the beginning of the administration, governors and mayors of these cities have been asked to testify before Congress.
In actuality, sanctuary jurisdictions forbid local law enforcement from supporting federal immigration officials in their work.
However, mayors and law enforcement officials who were perplexed as to why they had been added swiftly criticized the list harshly. Over the weekend, Sheriff Kieran Donahue, president of the National Sheriffs’ Association, charged that DHS was not accountable or transparent in the process of compiling the list.
“There was no input, no compliance criteria, and no way to challenge the designation when this list was made. Donahue urged DHS to take the list down, saying that sheriffs across the country have no way of knowing what they need to do or not do to avoid this arbitrary label. This DHS decision may leave a trust gap that could take years to fill. “.
Concerns were also voiced by local leaders nationwide regarding their inclusion on the list. For instance, the naming of Boise, Idaho, and San Diego surprised their mayors. Leaders in Colorado expressed concerns as well; Aurora was taken off the list prior to its publication.
The department and the attorney general were instructed by an executive order signed by President Trump on April 28 to publish a list of states and local jurisdictions that are “obstructing federal immigration law enforcement and notify each sanctuary jurisdiction of its non-compliance, providing an opportunity to correct it.”. “.”.
“A few cities have resisted. On Fox’s Sunday Morning Futures, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem stated, “They believe they are ineligible because they don’t have any laws in place, but they are.”.
According to a senior DHS official who spoke to NPR, the list is up for review at all times, is subject to change, and will be updated “regularly.”.
In a statement, the official stated that “designation of a sanctuary jurisdiction is based on the evaluation of numerous factors, including self-identification as a Sanctuary Jurisdiction, noncompliance with Federal law enforcement in enforcing immigration laws, restrictions on information sharing, and legal protections for illegal aliens.”.
Since assuming office, the Trump administration has retaliated against countries it deemed to be “sanctuaries.”. USCIS spokesman Matthew Tragesser stated that the agency, for instance, had terminated coordination on naturalization ceremonies with “sanctuary cities that restrict the ability of law enforcement to cooperate with DHS – in defiance of the rule of law – to enforce immigration laws and keep American communities safe from illegal and violent aliens.”.
Federal disaster aid and other aid that is sent to “sanctuary jurisdictions” will be examined, the administration has promised. 16 jurisdictions filed lawsuits in response to the funding withholding. A judge halted the action.
