Sheriffs respond after DHS removes list of ‘sanctuary jurisdictions’
The Trump administration rescinded a list naming 500 so-called sanctuary jurisdictions that were allegedly not complying with federal immigration policies. A sanctuary jurisdiction is a city, county, or state that adopts policies limiting local law enforcement cooperation with federal immigration efforts. Lawmakers designed these policies to reduce how much local law enforcement shares immigration status information with federal authorities.
The Department of Homeland Security posted the list of cities online on May 29, and Trump-backed sheriffs immediately pushed back against it.
Reaction from Idaho officials
Boise, Idaho, was on the list, and just outside Boise is Canyon County.
Canyon County Sheriff Kieran Donahue, who is also president of the National Sheriffs’ Association and a Trump supporter, responded to the list, saying DHS “has done a terrible disservice to President Trump and the sheriffs of this country.”
“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,” Sheriff Donahue said in a statement.
He said he met with DHS officials on Saturday, May 31, to discuss the list and that “no political appointee for the administration could explain who compiled, proofed, and verified the list before publication.”
It’s unclear how or why Boise made the list. According to The Idaho Statesman, sanctuary jurisdictions are banned in the state.
Wisconsin jurisdictions respond
Three Wisconsin jurisdictions also made the list. The Shawano County Sheriff’s Office denied being part of a sanctuary county.
“Prior to this publication, Shawano County had not received any formal notification from federal authorities regarding any non-compliance issues. Upon learning of our inclusion on this list, we proactively reached out to various state and federal agencies to find the reasons behind this designation and to understand the steps necessary for removal,” Shawano County Sheriff George Lenzner posted in a statement on Facebook.
Colorado counties push back
DHS also named several Colorado cities on its list. Baca County Sheriff Aaron Shiplett said he felt “taken aback and deeply concerned” that DHS included his county on the list, since it passed a resolution last year affirming, “That Baca County is not, and will never be, a sanctuary county for illegal immigration.”
Three other Colorado sheriff’s departments — Lincoln, Kit Carson, and Cheyenne — issued statements on social media clarifying that their counties are not designated as sanctuary jurisdictions for immigrants illegally in the U.S. They also noted that the Department of Homeland Security never contacted them about the criteria or development of the list.
DHS removes the list without explanation
By Sunday, June 1, DHS removed its sanctuary jurisdiction list without providing an explanation for the inclusion of certain cities and counties. It remains unclear whether officials are currently reviewing the list to revise or replace it with an updated version.
Even if a city, county or state considers itself a sanctuary place, federal immigration agents can operate anywhere across the country.
Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief
