The Trump administration declared it removed Nevada off its list of sanctuary jurisdictions after state leaders made clear they are willing and ready to work with federal immigration authorities.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced on Monday that Nevada law enforcement is committed to cooperating with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and thus the state would be removed from the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) list of sanctuary localities. Nevada GOP Gov. Joe Lombardo had previously rebuked sanctuary policies championed by the state’s liberal attorney general.
“When others cower, real leaders step up,” Noem said on X. “I applaud the Nevada Sheriffs’ & Chiefs’ Association and Governor Joseph Lombardo for their commitment to working with ICE to protect American citizens from dangerous criminal illegal aliens.”
“Because of their efforts, Nevada has been removed from the Trump Administration’s sanctuary jurisdiction list,” the DHS secretary continued. “I encourage every leader across our nation to follow their example so that all Americans can live in peace and safety.”
Noem shared a letter from the Nevada Sheriffs’ & Chiefs’ Association, dated Aug. 7, which declares that every sheriff’s office in the state currently cooperates and communicates with ICE, has policies and procedures in place that outline their working relationship with ICE agents and that every office has a model immigration policy stipulated on their website for the public to see.
Lombardo, a former sheriff elected to the governor’s mansion in November 2022, has long supported ICE cooperation and declared that the state is not a sanctuary for criminal illegal migrants. The Republican governor in September publicly ripped sanctuary positions introduced by Nevada Democrat Attorney General Aaron Ford earlier this year.
“Despite the Attorney General’s attempts to implement sanctuary policies, Nevada is not a sanctuary state, has never been a sanctuary state, and will never be a sanctuary state under my leadership,” Lombardo said at the time. “The State’s agreement with the Department of Justice today reaffirms our commitment to following federal immigration law in Nevada.”
Lombardo publicly announced in February that Ford does not have the authority to make Nevada a sanctuary state and, in August, said the state had repeatedly reached out to the DOJ about its sanctuary designation.
This is not the first time the Trump administration has sparred with localities over its immigration policies. The mayor of Louisville revealed in July that his city would begin honoring ICE detainers in response to DOJ accusations that local officials were violating federal law by not cooperating better.
The Trump administration has also waged multiple lawsuits across the country that target alleged sanctuary havens, such as California, New York City, Chicago and other major jurisdictions.
While there is no formal definition for a “sanctuary city,” the label typically describes any state or locality that bans government officials from assisting or otherwise cooperating with federal immigration agents. Common sanctuary city policies prevent local law enforcement from honoring ICE detainer requests, sharing information with the agency or notifying the deportation officers of an impending release of a wanted illegal migrant.
Editor’s note: This article has been updated to include commentary from GOP Gov. Joe Lombardo.
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