The Department of Justice (DOJ) published a list of more than 30 sanctuary cities, states, and counties in the United States that were described as impeding law enforcement and putting Americans at risk.
In a press release, the DOJ published a list of cities, states, and counties that had been identified as “sanctuary jurisdictions.” Attorney General Pam Bondi noted that the DOJ would “continue bringing litigation against sanctuary jurisdictions” and would be working with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to “eradicate these harmful policies.”
States such as California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Nevada, New York, Oregon and Rhode Island,” along with Washington, DC, the nation’s capital, were included on the list. Sanctuary counties consisted of: Baltimore County, Maryland; San Diego County, California; and San Francisco County, California.
Sanctuary cities included Berkeley, California; Chicago, Illinois; Denver, Colorado; Jersey City, New Jersey; Newark, New Jersey; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Seattle, Washington; and New Orleans, Louisiana.
“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 list from the DOJ comes after President Donald Trump signed an executive order in April titled “Protecting American Communities From Criminal Aliens.”
Under the executive order, Bondi, “in coordination” with DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, was directed to publish a “list of States and local jurisdictions that obstruct the enforcement of Federal immigration laws (sanctuary jurisdictions).”
The executive order also noted that “some State and local officials” were using “their authority to violate, obstruct, and defy the enforcement of Federal immigration laws.”
Breitbart News reported that the DOJ has pressured sanctuary cities and states to end “their obstruction of federal immigration law.”
The DOJ has previously filed a lawsuit against New York City over the sanctuary city policies that shield illegal aliens from federal immigration enforcement, criticizing NYC for having “released thousands of criminals on the streets to commit violent crimes against law-abiding citizens due to sanctuary city policies.”
