Homeland Security pulls down list of 'sanctuary' cities and counties after backlash
The Department of Homeland Security removed its list of "sanctuary zones" days after the agency posted it on its website.
The list included dozens of cities and counties in 37 states and the District of Columbia that the Department of Homeland Security said were not in compliance with federal laws.
"The Department of Homeland Security calls on these jurisdictions to immediately review and amend their policies to comply with federal immigration laws and renew their commitment to protecting American citizens, not dangerous undocumented immigrants," the Department of Homeland Security website states.
The list, published late last week and made public on Sunday, was intended to be the latest step in the Trump administration's efforts to crack down on local municipalities it believes are hindering its goals of increasing immigration-related arrests and deportations. Since the beginning of the administration, mayors and governors of cities deemed "sanctuary" have been called to testify before Congress, and federal agencies have considered cutting federal resources allocated to these zones.
In practice, sanctuary jurisdictions prevent local law enforcement from assisting federal immigration officials with immigration-related operations.
However, the list quickly faced intense criticism from mayors and law enforcement officials who were surprised by its inclusion. Over the weekend, National Association of Sheriffs President Kieran Donahue accused the Department of Homeland Security of a lack of transparency and accountability in how the list was prepared.
The list was created without any input, compliance standards, or a mechanism to challenge the designation. Sheriffs across the country have no way of knowing what they should or should not do to avoid this arbitrary designation, Donahue said, calling on the Department of Homeland Security to remove the list. He added, "This decision by the Department of Homeland Security could create a trust vacuum that could take years to overcome."
Local leaders across the country have also raised concerns about their cities' inclusion on the list. For example, the mayors of Boise, Idaho, and San Diego were surprised to see their cities included. Colorado leaders also expressed concerns, as Aurora was removed from the list before its publication.
On April 28, President Trump issued an executive order directing the Department and Attorney General to publish a list of states and local jurisdictions "that are obstructing enforcement of federal immigration law and to notify each sanctuary jurisdiction of their noncompliance, providing them with an opportunity to correct it."
"Some cities have resisted. They believe that because they don't have one law or another on their books, they don't qualify, but they do," Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said on Fox's Sunday Morning Futures.
A senior DHS official told NPR that the list is under constant review, could change at any time, and will be updated "regularly."
"Designation of a sanctuary area is based on an evaluation of many factors, including self-identification as a sanctuary area, noncompliance with federal immigration enforcement, restrictions on information sharing, and legal protections for undocumented immigrants," the official's statement said.
Since taking office, the Trump administration has taken steps to respond to jurisdictions it has designated as "sanctuaries." For example, USCIS ended coordination on naturalization ceremonies with "sanctuary cities that limit law enforcement's ability to cooperate with the Department of Homeland Security—in defiance of the rule of law—to enforce immigration laws and keep American communities safe from undocumented and violent aliens," according to USCIS spokesperson Matthew Trajeser.
The administration pledged to review federal disaster assistance and other assistance allocated to "sanctuary cities." The withholding of funding prompted lawsuits from 16 cities. A judge blocked the move.
The administration also took several cities to court over policies it says limit cooperation with immigration authorities.