List of ‘sanctuary jurisdictions’ removed from DHS website after law enforcement outcry, questions about accuracy

The Department of Homeland Security removed a list of hundreds of so-called sanctuary jurisdictions that it published on its website Thursday following questions about its accuracy and pointed criticism from a major group representing law enforcement.

The Department of Homeland Security removed a list of hundreds of so-called sanctuary jurisdictions that it published on its website Thursday following questions about its accuracy and pointed criticism from a major group representing law enforcement. DHS had described it as “comprehensive list of sanctuary jurisdictions including cities, counties, and states that are deliberately obstructing the enforcement of federal immigration laws and endangering American citizens,” according to an archived version of the since-deleted webpage. The agency added that each jurisdiction “will receive formal notification of its non-compliance and all potential violations of federal criminal statutes.” President Donald Trump has vowed to punish jurisdictions that do not cooperate with federal authorities’ immigration enforcement as part of his administration’s efforts to increase deportations. There’s no specific or legal definition of what constitutes a “sanctuary jurisdiction.” The term is often used to refer to law enforcement agencies, states or communities that don’t cooperate with immigration enforcement. Asked by CNN why the list was removed, a senior DHS official said in a statement Monday that the list “is being constantly reviewed and can be changed at any time and will be updated regularly.” The statement did not respond to specific questions about how the list was created or who identified jurisdictions that would be included.