Abingdon PD responds after town placed on Homeland Security's ‘sanctuary jurisdictions' list
ABINGDON, Va. (WJHL) — The Abingdon Police Department and Congressman Morgan Griffith are speaking out after the town was placed on the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) list of 'sanctuary jurisdictions.'
DHS describes sanctuary jurisdictions on as 'cities, counties, and states that are deliberately and shamefully obstructing the enforcement of federal immigration laws endangering American communities.'
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Sanctuary jurisdictions are detailed on the under its 'Making America Safe Again' campaign tab. The department claims that sanctuary cities and communities 'protect dangerous criminal aliens from facing consequences and put law enforcement in peril.'
The by state that is considered a sanctuary jurisdiction.
Under Virginia, two cities in News Channel 11's viewing area are included: Abingdon and Duffield. Nearby Tazewell and all of Tazewell County are also on the list.
The Abingdon Police Department to its inclusion on the list on Friday afternoon. According to the police department, the town was not notified or informed as to why it was classified as a sanctuary jurisdiction.
'Upon learning of the listing, we immediately contacted the Office of the U.S. Representative Morgan Griffith for assistance in correcting the error,' the post states. 'We also contacted our federal law enforcement partners and have been advised that Abingdon will be removed from the list.'
The Abingdon Police Department stated that it has and will continue to fully comply with federal law and cooperate with all law enforcement agencies.
Griffith issued his own statement in response to the inclusion of the Southwest Virginia communities on the list. The U.S. representative called the designation surprising and claimed that local law enforcement has always cooperated with the federal government, and he claimed the issue was likely due to paperwork problems.
'Ninth District law enforcement organizations and localities are very cooperative with the federal government in the handling and detainment of illegal aliens.
'It is a surprising development to see some of our localities listed as 'sanctuary jurisdictions' by DHS. My office has been in contact with our liaisons in the federal government for an explanation and solution. As of now, we do not have a definitive answer. However, it appears that there may be some paperwork anomalies related to federal detainers, particularly at some regional jails.
'I will continue to monitor the situation and hope I will have specific answers within the next week.'
Congressman Morgan Griffith
No towns or counties in Northeast Tennessee were included on the DHS list.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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