Overview

• The department posted a list of more than 500 states, cities and counties on May 29 and pulled it by June 1 after visitors encountered a “Page Not Found” error.
• National Sheriffs’ Association president Kieran Donahue criticized the list’s creation without input from local sheriffs and warned it could erode trust in law enforcement partnerships.
• Officials in San Diego, Huntington Beach and Shawano County disputed their inclusion, pointing to the absence of formal sanctuary policies and numerous misspellings on the list.
• On Fox News, Noem defended the effort by arguing that jurisdictions without explicit sanctuary laws can still shield criminals and said the sanctuary tally would persist.
• Immigrant advocates argue sanctuary measures build community trust and improve crime reporting, setting the stage for ongoing legal and political battles over the administration’s wider deportation strategy.