DHS Removes Target List following Media Scrutiny and Outrage from Sheriff’s Association

The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Trump Administration has backtracked and now removed a list of “sanctuary” states, cities and counties from its website following sharp questioning from independent news sites such as NewMexicoConservativeNews.com and multiple other independent media organizations.

After those independent stories broke, pressure began with public outrage and pressure was then asserted from a national sheriffs’ association that said the list of “noncompliant” sheriffs could severely damage the relationship between the Trump administration and law enforcement.

The local independent media and the Sheriff’s Association had claimed the list included areas such as Otero County, New Mexico that have a policy of working with federal immigration enforcement. The list prompted a response from the National Sheriffs’ Association, which represents more than 3,000 elected sheriffs across the country and generally supports federal immigration enforcement collaborations.

DHS on Thursday published a list of what it called sanctuary jurisdictions as reported by AlamogordoTownNews.org and NewMexicoConservativeNews.com. Our sister brand streaming KALHRadio.org interviewed County Commissioner and Republican Chairmwoman Amy Barela who committed to getting to the bottom of the issue.

Sheriff Kieran Donahue, president of the association, said in a statement, on Saturday that DHS published “a list of alleged noncompliant sheriffs in a manner that lacks transparency and accountability.” Donahue said the list was created without input from sheriffs and “violated the core principles of trust, cooperation, and partnership with fellow law enforcement.”

President Donald Trump had called for his administration to tally alleged sanctuary jurisdictions in a late April executive order, saying the lack of cooperation amounted to “a lawless insurrection.”

Secretary Noem when questioned by the mainstream press did not acknowledge the list being taken offline but said some localities had bristled.

“Some of the cities have pushed back,” Noem said. “They think because they don’t have one law or another on the books that they don’t qualify, but they do qualify. They are giving sanctuary to criminals.”

Leaders of some major cities publicly questioned the sanctuary label this week, including jurisdictions in Southern California, Colorado and Massachusetts. As did Amy Barela locally concerning Otero County, New Mexico.

Much like Otero County, New Mexico, San Diego City Attorney Heather Ferbert told local outlets that San Diego which was named on the DHS list – had never adopted a sanctuary policy and that the move appeared to be politically motivated.

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