Overview

• An April executive order required DHS to identify jurisdictions obstructing immigration enforcement, culminating in a list of more than 600 cities, counties and states.
• The published roster contained typographical mistakes and included areas that supported President Trump’s immigration policies or actively cooperated with ICE.
• Local officials in Huntington Beach and rural counties like Hooker County, Nebraska, contested their listings, prompting DHS to delist several jurisdictions after formal appeals.
• Jurisdictions remaining on the list risk suspension or termination of federal grants and contracts by the Office of Management and Budget if they do not align policies with federal immigration statutes.
• The absence of a standardized definition for “sanctuary” policies has fueled confusion and driven DHS to review and update its criteria and entries.