Federal list of ‘sanctuary jurisdictions' leaders said erroneously included Hampton Roads cities deleted after criticism

Yahoo

2 days ago

The webpage for a Department of Homeland Security list of localities it said were in violation of federal immigration law was taken down over the weekend following statements by Hampton Roads officials that their respective cities were included on the list in error.
The page was created Thursday at www.dhs.gove/sanctuary-jurisdictions with the header 'Sanctuary Jurisdictions Defying Federal Immigration Law.' By Sunday, the page had been deleted. The original page stated it would be continuously updated and that the jurisdictions listed would receive formal notice of their noncompliance. It also included a 'demand' that these jurisdictions immediately review and revise their policies to align with federal immigration laws.
Virginia Beach, Hampton, Portsmouth, Newport News and Gloucester County were included on the list of localities that, the page read, 'are deliberately and shamefully obstructing the enforcement of federal immigration laws endangering American communities' and protecting 'dangerous criminal aliens from facing consequences and put law enforcement in peril.'
Hampton Roads cities accused by Homeland Security of obstructing federal immigration officials
Spokespersons for Virginia Beach, Gloucester County and Hampton said in emailed statements to The Virginian-Pilot and Daily Press that they were included on the list in error.
Thirty-three Virginia localities were included on the list, including Richmond and Fairfax County, which has the largest population in the state. It also includes areas that voted heavily in favor of Trump in the 2024 election, including Gloucester and Middlesex counties on the Middle Peninsula.
National Sheriff's Association President Sheriff Kieran Donahue on Saturday said the list 'lacks transparency and accountability' and 'could create a vacuum of trust that may take years to overcome.'
'This list was created without any input, criteria of compliance, or a mechanism for how to object to the designation,' Donahue's statement reads. 'Sheriffs nationwide have no way to know what they must do or not do to avoid this arbitrary label. The completion and publication of this list has not only violated the core principles of trust, cooperation, and partnership with fellow law enforcement, but it also has the potential to strain the relationship between Sheriffs and the White House administration.'
Gavin Stone, 757-712-4806, [e-mail]