List of 'sanctuary jurisdictions' removed from US government website
following criticism
[June 02, 2025]
WASHINGTON (AP) — A widely anticipated list of “ sanctuary
jurisdictions” no longer appears on the Department of Homeland
Security's website after receiving widespread criticism for including
localities that have actively supported the Trump administration's
hard-line immigration policies.
The department last week published the list of the jurisdictions. It
said each one would receive formal notification the government deemed
them uncooperative with federal immigration enforcement and whether
they’re believed to be in violation of any federal criminal statutes.
The list was published Thursday on the department’s website but on
Sunday there was a “Page Not Found" error message in its place.
The list was part of the Trump administration’s efforts to target
communities, states and jurisdictions that it says aren’t doing enough
to help its immigration enforcement agenda and the promises the
president made to deport more than 11 million people living in the U.S.
without legal authorization.
The list is being constantly reviewed and can be changed at any time and
will be updated regularly, a DHS senior official said.
“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,” the official said in a statement.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said on Fox News’ “Sunday
Morning Futures” that there had been anger from some officials about the
list. However, she didn’t address why it was removed.
[to top of second column]
|
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is recognized as President
Donald Trump speaks during an event to announce new tariffs in the
Rose Garden at the White House, April 2, 2025, in Washington. (AP
Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File)
“Some of the cities have pushed back,” Noem said. “They think
because they don’t have one law or another on the books that they
don’t qualify, but they do qualify. They are giving sanctuary to
criminals.”
The list, which was riddled with misspellings, received pushback
from officials in communities spanning from urban to rural and blue
to red who said the list doesn’t appear to make sense.
In California, the city of Huntington Beach made the list even
though it had filed a lawsuit challenging the state’s immigration
sanctuary law and passed a resolution this year declaring the
community a “non-sanctuary city.”
Jim Davel, administrator for Shawano County, Wisconsin, said the
inclusion of his community must have been a clerical error. Davel
voted for Trump as did 67% of Shawano County.
Davel thinks the administration may have confused the county’s vote
in 2021 to become a “Second Amendment Sanctuary County” that
prohibits gun control measures with it being a safe haven for
immigrants. He said the county has approved no immigration sanctuary
policies.
All contents © copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved |
