The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has removed a list of “sanctuary jurisdictions” from its website after posting it in late May and receiving backlash.
Several mayors and law enforcement officials in cities included on the list have criticized and questioned their inclusion. The DHS posted the list on May 29, which included locations across the United States. The department reportedly removed the list on June 1. A May 29 press release notes that the sanctuary jurisdictions featured included “cities, counties, and states.” The statement alleged that the jurisdictions are “deliberately obstructing the enforcement of federal immigration laws and endangering American citizens.”
The press release claimed that the sanctuary areas protect “dangerous criminal illegal aliens,” which also puts law enforcement at risk. The statement accused the pinpointed locations of being “lawless” and noncompliant with federal immigration authorities. Additionally, the press release stated that the DHS will continue to work on holding sanctuary cities “accountable.”
“Each jurisdiction listed will receive formal notification of its non-compliance and all potential violations of federal criminal statutes,” the department stated. “[The] DHS demands that these jurisdictions immediately review and revise their policies to align with federal immigration laws and renew their obligation to protect American citizens, not dangerous illegal aliens.”
DHS Removes List Of Sanctuary Jurisdictions
The DHS initially named accused sanctuary cities amid the Trump administration‘s ongoing implementation of stricter immigration policies and enforcement.
Over the weekend, National Sheriffs’ Association President Sheriff Kieran Donahue spoke out about the DHS’s contested compilation. The organization’s leader denounced the DHS sanctuary jurisdictions list. Donahue claimed that the list could be detrimental to future operations between sheriffs and federal powers.
“This list was created without any input, criteria of compliance, or a mechanism for how to object to the designation… The completion and publication of this list has not only violated the core principles of trust, cooperation, and partnership with fellow law enforcement, but it also has the potential to strain the relationship between Sheriffs and the White House administration… This decision by DHS could create a vacuum of trust that may take years to overcome,” said Donahue.
