“DHS drops ‘sanctuary’ cities list following sheriff backlash over non-compliance designation.”

WASHINGTON, June 1 (Reuters) – The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has taken down a list of so-called “sanctuary” states, cities, and counties from its website after strong objections from the National Sheriffs’ Association. The group warned that labeling certain sheriffs as “non-compliant” could strain ties between the Trump administration and law enforcement.
The list, released Thursday, identified jurisdictions DHS claimed were limiting cooperation with federal immigration authorities, prompting a swift response from the association, which represents over 3,000 elected sheriffs nationwide and typically backs federal immigration efforts.

Sheriff Kieran Donahue, president of the National Sheriffs’ Association, criticized the Department of Homeland Security in a Saturday statement, saying the agency released “a list of alleged noncompliant sheriffs in a way that lacked transparency and accountability.” He noted that sheriffs were not consulted and that the move undermined the principles of trust, cooperation, and partnership among law enforcement agencies.
The list followed an executive order issued by President Donald Trump in late April, directing his administration to identify so-called sanctuary jurisdictions, which he described as engaging in “a lawless insurrection” by refusing to cooperate with federal immigration authorities.
As of Sunday, the DHS webpage listing those jurisdictions was offline — a point raised by Fox News host Maria Bartiromo during an interview with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Sunday Morning Futures.

“I saw that a list was released,” Fox News host Maria Bartiromo said. “But I no longer see it in the media. Do you have a list of sanctuary cities currently harboring undocumented immigrants?”
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem didn’t directly address the removal of the list but acknowledged pushback from local governments.
“Some cities have pushed back,” Noem said. “They argue they don’t qualify because certain laws aren’t on their books—but in reality, they’re still providing sanctuary to criminals.”
Several city leaders challenged the designation this week, including officials from Southern California, Colorado, and Massachusetts.
San Diego City Attorney Heather Ferbert, responding to her city’s inclusion on the DHS list, told local media that San Diego has never adopted a sanctuary policy and called the listing politically motivated.

“We believe this will be used as yet another tool of intimidation, a fear tactic to threaten the federal funding our city depends on,” San Diego City Attorney Heather Ferbert said.
Immigrant advocates and many Democrats argue that sanctuary policies strengthen community trust, making immigrants more willing to report crimes and cooperate with law enforcement.
During a March hearing before a U.S. House committee, mayors from Boston, Chicago, Denver, and New York City defended their sanctuary policies, saying they uphold due process rights for migrants and contribute to public safety. They also affirmed their commitment to honoring criminal arrest warrants.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who aligns with former President Trump’s tough stance on immigration, said DHS would continue using the sanctuary jurisdiction list. A senior department official added that the list is under ongoing review and will be updated regularly.

The Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine showed the sanctuary list still available online on Saturday, though it’s unclear when it was taken down or if the removal was connected to the sheriffs’ pushback.

In his Saturday statement, Sheriff Kieran Donahue directly criticized DHS:
“This is an unfortunate and unnecessary breakdown of unity and cooperation in law enforcement at a time when that unity is most needed,” he said. “This DHS decision risks creating a trust gap that could take years to repair.”

Sheriffs play a critical role in immigration enforcement by assisting federal officers and detaining individuals accused of immigration violations in local jails.

Last week, the Trump administration replaced two senior U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials amid pressure to increase arrests and deportations.

Stephen Miller, the chief architect of Trump’s immigration policies, announced that ICE aims to carry out 3,000 arrests daily — a tenfold increase over last year’s numbers under President Biden.

Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons told Fox & Friends on Sunday that the agency reached 1,600 arrests several times last week, marking the highest figures since Trump’s administration began.
“ICE can do more,” Lyons said. “And we will do more.”