The Trump administration intensified its campaign against so-called sanctuary cities Tuesday, publishing a new list of state and local governments that federal officials accuse of impeding U.S. immigration enforcement.
The list, mandated by an executive order signed by President Donald Trump on April 28, signals a renewed effort to sanction communities that limit cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Why It Matters
Proponents argue the effort is critical for removing undocumented immigrants with criminal records and restoring law and order.
Critics of Trump’s executive order warn that the approach undermines local authority and community trust and escalates federal-local tensions on immigration policy.
The announced list sets the stage for further legal showdowns and raises stakes for hundreds of cities, counties, and states as they weigh compliance or resistance to federal immigration priorities.
What To Know
The U.S. Department of Justice released an official list of states, cities, and counties deemed by federal authorities to have policies, laws, or regulations that obstruct federal immigration enforcement on Tuesday.
This list, created in collaboration with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), highlights communities known as “sanctuary jurisdictions.” The DOJ’s list specifically named the following as sanctuary jurisdictions:
States
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Illinois
- Minnesota
- Nevada
- New York
- Oregon
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
- Washington
Counties
- Baltimore County, Maryland
- Cook County, Illinois
- San Diego County, California
- San Francisco County, California
Cities
- Albuquerque, New Mexico
- Berkeley, California
- Boston, Massachusetts
- Chicago, Illinois
- Denver, Colorado
- East Lansing, Michigan
- Hoboken, New Jersey
- Jersey City, New Jersey
- Los Angeles, California
- New Orleans, Louisiana
- New York City
- Newark, New Jersey
- Paterson, New Jersey
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Portland, Oregon
- Rochester, New York
- Seattle, Washington
- San Francisco, California
Newsweek reached out to the offices of the Albuquerque, Boston and Chicago mayors via email for comment.
The term “sanctuary city” (or jurisdiction) generally refers to a locality that limits cooperation with federal immigration authorities, such as declining to hold individuals on ICE detainer requests or restricting information-sharing about residents’ immigration status. However, there is no uniform legal definition, and policies can vary widely.
Executive Order 14287 requires the DHS and DOJ to publish the list on a regular basis and directs agencies to identify any relevant federal grants or contracts for possible suspension or termination in noncompliant jurisdictions.
Some cities and counties have pushed back on their designation, claiming their local policies are necessary for public safety and community trust, and warning that federal crackdowns could undermine those goals.
What People Are Saying
Attorney General Pam Bondi, in a statement: “Sanctuary policies impede law enforcement and put American citizens at risk by design…The Department of Justice will continue bringing litigation against sanctuary jurisdictions and work closely with the Department of Homeland Security to eradicate these harmful policies around the country.”
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, in a statement: “These sanctuary city politicians are endangering Americans and our law enforcement in order to protect violent criminal illegal aliens.”
Murad Awawdeh, president and CEO of the New York Immigration Coalition, in a previous statement: “President Trump’s latest executive order targeting sanctuary cities is designed to punish local governments for upholding their own public safety policies and refusing to collude with his mass deportation agenda.”
David Chiu, San Francisco city attorney, in a statement: “Trump cannot coerce cities into taking on the federal government’s immigration responsibilities…Trump’s actions are illegal and authoritarian, and our lawsuit seeks to put a stop to it.”
What Happens Next
Jurisdictions identified on the sanctuary list will receive formal notifications from the federal government.
Under the terms of Executive Order 14287, failure to alter noncompliant practices could lead to litigation, criminal prosecution of local officials, or loss of federal grants and contracts.
The DOJ and DHS have announced that the list will be routinely updated and reviewed, and that any jurisdiction seeking removal from the list may work with federal authorities to revise or repeal sanctuary policies.
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