Trump DOJ publishes list of sanctuary jurisdictions it says put ‘American citizens at risk,’ threatens more litigation

The Justice Department on Tuesday blasted sanctuary cities for “putting American citizens at risk” and warned of looming legal action against local and state governments that refuse to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement.

The statement came as the department identified nearly three dozen cities, counties and states it labeled as “sanctuary jurisdictions” – places that shield illegal immigrants, often by refusing to detain them for deportation or share information with federal immigration authorities.

President Donald Trump issued an executive order earlier this year instructing Attorney General Pam Bondi to publish a list of sanctuary jurisdictions, as the order called out state and local authorities who “violate, obstruct, and defy the enforcement of federal immigration laws.”

“This is a lawless insurrection against the supremacy of Federal law and the Federal Government’s obligation to defend the territorial sovereignty of the United States,” Trump said of sanctuary cities. The executive order also called out the Biden administration for allowing “unchecked millions of aliens to illegally enter the United States,” noting that it resulted in “public safety and national security risks.”

The Justice Department identified Washington, D.C., and 12 states spanning from coast to coast in its list, including California, Colorado, Minnesota, New York and Delaware. Major cities on the list include San Francisco, Philadelphia, New York City, Denver, Chicago and Boston. 

“Sanctuary policies impede law enforcement and put American citizens at risk by design,” Bondi said in a statement. “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.”

The Justice Department has filed multiple lawsuits against sanctuary cities in recent months, it noted, including a recent filing in New York City. The department also threatened legal action against Louisville, Kentucky, culminating in the mayor agreeing to revoke sanctuary policies.

Legal disputes over sanctuary policies are part of a larger immigration crackdown underway in Trump’s second term in office.

The White House over the weekend touted that the U.S. is “on track to see negative net migration for the first time in at least five decades.” The White House was citing a CNN report that found that “record low levels” of immigration, “way down from where we are during the Biden Administration.”

Featured image: Courtesy of the White House