Latest news with #sanctuaryjurisdictions
The Independent
12 hours ago
- General
- The Independent
ICE chief defends agents' use of masks, decries sanctuary jurisdictions
Immigration and Customs Enforcement Acting Director Todd Lyons on Monday defended the use of masks by his agents and expressed frustration at sanctuary jurisdictions that he said are hindering the detainment of immigrants who are in the country illegally. Lyons said his agents wear masks because they and their families have been doxxed and 'targeted" with death threats. 'I'm sorry if people are offended by them wearing masks, but I'm not going to let my officers and agents go out there and put their lives on the line, their family on the line because people don't like what immigration enforcement is,' he said. Lyons made the comments during a press conference at the Boston federal courthouse to announce the completion of a May operation in which nearly 1,500 immigrants were taken into custody across Massachusetts. He was leaving the room when a reporter asked him about the masks. He turned around and returned to the podium to answer it. 'Is that the issue here that we're just upset about the masks?" he asked the room of journalists. "Or is anyone upset about the fact that ICE officers' families were labeled terrorists?' As part of last month's operation, authorities in Massachusetts detained 1,461 immigrants living in Boston, Worcester, Springfield, Lowell, Lawrence, Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard and other communities. ICE said 790 of those immigrants had criminal histories, including the crime of reentering the U.S. after deportation, and that 277 had previously been ordered to be removed from the country by a federal immigration judge. Lyons, who is from Boston, said these operations wouldn't be necessary if 'sanctuary cities would change their policy.' There's no legal definition for sanctuary city policies, but they generally limit cooperation by local law enforcement with federal immigration officers. Courts have repeatedly upheld the legality of sanctuary laws. Last week, the Department of Homeland Security published a widely anticipated list of ' sanctuary jurisdictions " on its website, only to receive widespread criticism for including localities that have actively supported the Trump administration's hard-line immigration policies. As of Monday, there was a 'Page Not Found' error message in its place. During a March congressional hearing, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and other Democratic mayors defended sanctuary city policies. Brandon Johnson of Chicago said 'mischaracterizations and fearmongering' were obscuring the fact that crime in Chicago is trending down. 'This federal administration is making hard-working, taxpaying, God-fearing residents afraid to live their lives," Wu said. During Monday's press conference, a poster board with mug shots of unnamed immigrants was displayed. A full list of those arrested was not made available, nor was information about the crimes specific individuals are accused of committing. Lyons called them 'dangerous criminals' who are "terrorizing family, friends and our neighbors." White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, the key driver of immigration policy in the Trump administration, has said that the administration is setting a goal of 3,000 arrests by ICE each day and that the number could go higher. Lyons said during an interview with Fox & Friends on Sunday that the agency was averaging about 1,600 arrests per day. He said they can and will do more. That marks an increase from previous ICE arrest data that showed that the agency arrested 78,155 people between Jan. 20 and May 19 — an average of 656 arrests per day. Lyons heads an agency at the center of Trump's mass deportations agenda. Just last week, the agency underwent its second major reorganization since Trump took office, as the head of the Enforcement and Removal Operations section of ICE retired and the head of ICE's Homeland Security Investigations section transitioned to another role. ___
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
List naming 'sanctuary' jurisdictions, including 20 from Minnesota, removed from DHS site
List naming 'sanctuary' jurisdictions, including 20 from Minnesota, removed from DHS site originally appeared on Bring Me The News. The list identifying scores of so-called "lawless jurisdictions" that are allegedly not complying with Trump administration immigration orders has been removed from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) website. The list was issued earlier this week, naming jurisdictions across the country that the Trump administration claims are "deliberately instructing the enforcement of federal immigration laws." While the press release featuring a comment DHS Secretary Kristi Noem remains live, the list that was linked to it now shows an error. Bring Me The News has reached out to DHS for an explanation. It comes after a number of local governments found themselves taken aback at being included on the list that described them as "lawless jurisdictions" that are "endangering American citizens" for allegedly not fully cooperating with Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Trump administration mass deportations program. Some cities, such as Minneapolis and St. Paul, have defined policies stating that local police will not be involved in the enforcement of federal immigration law and prohibits officers from questioning any person about their immigration status. But other counties that have not taken steps to promote such policies have found themselves included on the DHS list and confused by the lack of detail and vague assertions in the DHS statement as to why. Among those included in Minnesota is Stearns County, which has never made any move to declare itself a "sanctuary" location for undocumented immigrants, with Sheriff Steve Soyka admitting they were "surprised" to see it on the list. "Stearns County has maintained a clear and consistent approach to working and communicating with ICE and following federal requirements," Soyka said. "What we currently do in our jail is what we have done for the past 20 years with no issues. We have always notified ICE when required. "We have not received any complaints or heard of any issues from local ICE officials – in fact, during their last visit, they complimented our staff on how we handle these matters." The Stearns County Attorney Janelle Kendall affirmed to the Star Tribune that the county complies with ICE, but doesn't hold people for them if they are in jail on county charges. The newspaper notes that as immigration offenses are a civil issue, some local law enforcement agencies "remain reluctant to honor ICE detainer requests" as some have found themselves sued for civil rights infractions when they detain individuals for longer than legally allowed. "Our responsibility is to enforce the law and support public safety," Soyka added on Friday. "If DHS has identified a concern, we are open to reviewing it — but as of now, we have no indication of noncompliance, and we stand by our current practices.' The backlash to the DHS list spanned the whole U.S., with the Associated Press reporting that the list was "riddled with misspellings" and "included sparsely populated counties that have little interaction with immigration authorities, that overwhelmingly voted for President Donald Trump and that have actively supported his hard-line immigration policies." Less surprised at being named on the initial list was the City of Minneapolis, which reaffirmed its longstanding arms-length policy towards immigration enforcement following President Donald Trump's return to office in January. "Minneapolis is a city that fosters inclusivity, safety, and belonging. That's something worth standing up for," the city said this week. "The law is on our side. Two U.S. District Courts have already blocked the Trump administration from freezing funding to Minneapolis on this unlawful basis. We'll proudly be on any list that reflects our values and commitment to the people who call Minneapolis home. We will always stand with – and fight for – our neighbors." Here are the jurisdictions in Minnesota that were originally included in the now-removed list: Self-Identification as a State Sanctuary Jurisdiction Anoka County Carver County Cottonwood County Goodhue County Hennepin County Le Sueur County Lincoln County Lyon County Martin County Nicollet County Nobles County Otter Tail County Pipestone County Ramsey County Scott County Stearns County Steele County Todd County Watonwan County Wright County Minneapolis St. Paul This story was originally reported by Bring Me The News on Jun 1, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Huntington Beach to Trump admin: 'We are not a sanctuary city'
The Brief The Trump administration published a list of 500+ "sanctuary jurisdictions" they say are obstructing immigration enforcement. Huntington Beach was included on the list. In January, Huntington Beach actually declared itself a "non-sanctuary city." HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. - The city of Huntington Beach is speaking out after the Trump administration put the city on a list of more than 500 "sanctuary jurisdictions," which the administration says is obstructing federal immigration enforcement. There's just one issue. The city legally declared that they were the exact opposite earlier this year. RELATED: Trump administration applies pressure on 'sanctuary jurisdictions' with public listing The backstory The Department of Homeland Security published a list of more than 500 communities on Friday that they say are not complying with federal immigration enforcement. DHS said that it used several things to come up with their list, including whether the community self-identifies as a sanctuary, whether they offer protection to undocumented immigrants and more. This is all a response to an executive order President Donald Trump signed in April. Every jurisdiction on the list will get a notice from DHS and the Department of Justice. According to the executive order, jurisdictions that don't start complying with immigration enforcement could lose out on federal grants and contracts. Included on the list is the state of California as a whole, all but 10 of the state's 58 counties, and more than 60 cities in California. Among those listed is Huntington Beach in Orange County. SEE THE FULL LIST HERE What we know But, back in January, the Huntington Beach City Council voted unanimously to declare themselves a "non-sanctuary city." The move was a response to California Gov. Gavin Newsom's plans to "Trump-proof" the state shortly before Trump took office. RELATED: Gov. Newsom says he's going to 'Trump proof' California state laws Needless to say, city officials are confused as to why they were put on DHS' list on Friday. What they're saying "We adopted a formal policy on this. It went before the council, and we unanimously agreed that Huntington Beach is not a sanctuary city," Huntington Beach Mayor Pat Burns said in a press release on Friday. "We took deliberate action to make our non-sanctuary status clear." Burns said the city's inclusion on the list is either a misprint or a mistake. And Huntington Beach isn't the only one. "We're hearing there are other local governments that are also misidentified, including Baltimore, Maryland; Las Vegas, Nevada; and Shasta County, California — all of which have either declared themselves non-sanctuary jurisdictions or follow non-sanctuary policies," Burns said. What's next Burns said he has reached out to contacts in the federal government to get Huntington Beach taken off the list. Federal officials said the list would be updated regularly. The Source Information in this story is from the Department of Homeland Security's list of "sanctuary jurisdictions," a press release from the City of Huntington Beach, and previous FOX 11 reports.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Trump threatens Washington funding in executive order targeting sanctuary states
May 30—President Donald Trump sent a message to Washington state officials Friday when he signed an executive order designating nearly the entire state as part of what he called "sanctuary jurisdictions," for which he earlier had threatened to cut off federal funding. The list of "sanctuary jurisdictions" appears to name every Washington county except Adams. The list included Spokane County and also listed the cities of Seattle, Olympia, Tacoma, Everett and Yakima, but it did not name Spokane. The "Protecting American Communities from Criminal Aliens" executive order required the formation of a list of states and cities that Trump wrote were obstructing the enforcement of federal immigration laws. "Sanctuary jurisdictions including cities, counties, and states that are deliberately and shamefully obstructing the enforcement of federal immigration laws endangering American communities," the order reads. "Sanctuary cities protect dangerous criminal aliens from facing consequences and put law enforcement in peril." However, the order does not take the next step and say that Trump intends to withhold federal funding from those places, like he tried earlier this year with San Francisco, Santa Clara County, and 14 other cities and counties it deems "sanctuary jurisdictions." "This is an eye-roller, a head-scratcher, but it doesn't come to me as a surprise at all," said Rep. Timm Ormsby, D-Spokane, who is chair of the state House Appropriations Committee. Trump's "whole interest is to have jurisdictions bend the knee to whatever fleeting rant he happens to be in." Spokane County Commissioner Al French said he believes Spokane County made the list solely because of state law and insisted it is not a sanctuary county. He said the commission will meet with legal experts Monday to consider how to proceed while being mindful of the executive order. "It's concerning, because the executive order could jeopardize our funding from the feds," French said. "And not by anything we did, but by association." Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown said only that city officials continue to follow all applicable laws but did not directly address the executive order. Rep. Joe Schmick, R-Colfax, pointed to the situation in Adams County, which Washington Attorney General Nick Brown sued earlier this year and accused officials there of cooperating with immigration enforcement in violation of the Keep Washington Working Act, which lawmakers passed in 2019. That law protects the rights of immigrant communities from unnecessary contact with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. As a result of the law, local police departments and sheriff's offices aren't supposed to share information with ICE or U.S. Border Patrol agents upon request, Aaron Korthuis, a staff attorney at Northwest Immigrant Rights Project, told The Spokesman-Review in March. Korthuis said the law also prohibits local officials from transferring individuals in custody to federal authorities or detaining individuals based solely on their immigration status, or to ask about a person's immigration status. Based on that law, Brown filed suit in Spokane County Superior Court in March alleging that Adams County Sheriff Dale Wagner held persons in custody based on their immigration status, gave federal agents confidential information and helped those agents question detainees in violation of the 2019 law. Following the filing of the lawsuit, Wagner said in a statement at the time that it was a "disappointing attempt to hinder our ability to uphold public safety." Schmick, of Colfax, and State Sen. Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville, both sided with Wagner, when contacted Friday about the executive order. "I believe that we need to follow the federal law ... especially when people are in jail and ICE is looking for them," Schmick said. "They should be turned over to ICE so they can be deported. We do not want criminals on our streets." Asked if he feared that Trump may try to withhold federal funding to Washington, Schmick said local officials "better change the rules. I thought when they passed (Keep Washington Working) way back when, that we were setting ourselves up for problems. "Now we are the problem." Schoesler noted that states changed speed limits and drinking ages in the past based on threats from federal officials to withhold transportation funds. "If you look at the people being protected by sanctuary cities, they are some pretty bad people. I live in Adams County. They are not grabbing people from the fields and factories," Schoesler said. "We are talking about people who committed crimes. "Sheriff Wagner wants to follow the federal law. If you are a criminal and not here legally, he wants to cooperate. At this point, we'd do better if Nick Brown tried working with these people instead of having a lawsuit every week." Mike Faulk, a spokesman for the attorney general's office, said Trump's executive order "is merely a list, and one that appears to be riddled with errors and false claims," he wrote. "Our bottom line, based on the facts, is that Keep Washington Working does not interfere with federal immigration law." Ormsby, the lawmaker from Spokane, called the executive order just the latest in a litany of proclamations and assertions coming from Trump. "It changes regularly, daily and hourly," Ormsby said. "My reaction is I'm very pleased that we have an attorney general in Washington state who is actively participating in lawsuits to stop some of this silliness that is coming out. "This is just the latest in a long list of gobsmacking things that have come out of this administration," he continued. "While it's difficult to take it super seriously, because it's in the early stages and will have to go through a legal review, I don't think it's an immediate issue for us." Spokesman-Review reporters Nick Gibson and Emry Dinman contributed to this report.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Centre County, State College accused by Trump admin of defying immigration law
Both Centre County and State College were listed by the federal government Thursday as being among the more than 500 'sanctuary jurisdictions' accused of defying federal immigration law — although it is unclear why. Neither the county nor the borough received formal notification of its alleged noncompliance, both entities said Friday in separate written statements to the CDT. However, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) noted in a news release that such notification is forthcoming. Until then, although the community has largely billed itself as welcoming to all, it's unclear exactly why Centre County and State College were targeted. 'Centre County Government just became aware of this as well,' County Administrator John Franek said in an email. 'The county has not received any type of correspondence from the federal government regarding this matter.' According to the DHS, both State College and Centre County were listed among the 'sanctuary jurisdictions' — states, counties and cities — that 'protect dangerous criminal aliens from facing consequences and put law enforcement in peril.' The DHS said it determined the 'sanctuary jurisdictions' based on factors like compliance with federal law enforcement, information restrictions and legal protections for immigrants who entered the country illegally. Again, it's unknown exactly how that applies to Centre County and State College. Borough leadership clarified in January 2017 that it was not a sanctuary city, noting a previous council resolution simply made value statements about immigration. Meanwhile, the county government never passed anything related to 'sanctuary jurisdictions,' a point also made by the Centre County Democratic Committee. 'This is merely a distraction by the current administration from their attacks on the poor, veterans and our communities,' the committee added in a written statement. Neither the borough nor the county offered any clues as to why they might be included on the DHS' list. They largely declined to answer questions from the CDT, including whether the federal government requested help with immigration enforcement so far this calendar year. The DHS, which has received pushback across the country, said the extensive list it created was not static and that the status of jurisdictions could change. 'Note that the list can be reviewed and changed at any time and will be updated regularly,' its website read. 'No one should act on this information without conducting their own evaluation of the information.' In Pennsylvania, five cities and 11 counties were placed on the list, which was created as a direct result of Executive Order 14287, signed on April 28. The primary risk of being on the list is the potential loss of federal funding, which would have a significant economic impact on the communities involved. Among the five cities on the list are Gettysburg, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, State College and York. The 11 counties are Adams, Allegheny, Centre, Chester, Clarion, Dauphin, Delaware, Lehigh, Montgomery, Montour and Northampton. Immigration was a key campaign issue for President Donald Trump, and his administration has promised to annually deport more than a million immigrants. However, based on the current numbers, Trump is on pace to deport less than a quarter of that — and needs a significant boost to approach his goal. Former President Barack Obama carried out 432,000 deportations in 2013, an average of 36,000 per month, the highest annual total since records were kept. Trump carried out 17,200 deportations this past April.
