As President Donald Trump and his administration continue enforcing federal immigration law, several “sanctuary” jurisdictions have opted to reverse course and rescind policies barring state and local police from assisting federal agents. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem announced on Monday that Nevada has been removed from the Trump administration’s public list of “sanctuary” jurisdictions after 17 sheriffs, under the leadership of Governor Joe Lombardo (R), recommitted to cooperating with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), honoring ICE detainers, and assisting in the arrests of illegal immigrants.

“When others cower, real leaders step up. I applaud the Nevada Sheriffs’ & Chiefs’ Association and Governor [Lombardo] for their commitment to working with [ICE] to protect American citizens from dangerous criminal illegal aliens,” Noem said in a social media post. “Because of their efforts, Nevada has been removed from the Trump Administration’s sanctuary jurisdiction list. I encourage every leader across our nation to follow their example so that all Americans can live in peace and safety.”

In August, the Department of Justice (DOJ) published a list of “sanctuary” jurisdictions, which included Nevada and 11 other states. In a letter to Noem, the sheriffs of Carson City, Las Vegas, and Churchill, Douglas, Elko, Esmerelda, Eureka, Humboldt, Lander, Lincoln, Lyon, Mineral, Nye, Pershing, Storey, Washoe, and White Pine Counties confirmed that their offices will cooperate with ICE in matters of immigration law enforcement. “We are committed to ensuring our jurisdictions are in full compliance with federal and state laws, especially when it comes to immigration enforcement actions in support of the Department of Homeland Security’s efforts,” the sheriffs wrote. “Our commitment is to serve and protect the communities of Nevada, prioritizing public safety and professionalism. Sheriffs of NV and NV Sheriffs’ and Chiefs’ Association shares federal law enforcement’s zero tolerance policy for criminals endangering Nevada communities.”

Baltimore County in Maryland also rescinded “sanctuary” policies in an effort to be removed from the DOJ’s list. County officials signed a memorandum of understanding late last month pledging to cooperate with ICE, although state leadership still largely opposes the president’s immigration agenda. “Despite restrictions from state leadership, Baltimore County has shown a willingness to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement,” Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward said in a statement. “This is a small step toward restoring public safety and we appreciate the county’s commitment to updating its policies.”

Since signing the memorandum, Baltimore County has been removed from the DOJ’s list. According to a report from the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS), Maryland released nearly 400 illegal immigrants from jails and prisons between October 1 of 2022 and February 6 of 2025, including at least one illegal immigrant released from the Baltimore County Detention Center despite having a homicide conviction or charge. Maryland’s Gaithersburg Police Department and Howard County Detention Center also both released illegal immigrants who had either homicide convictions or homicide charges.

Earlier this year, Mayor Craig Greenberg (D) of Louisville, Kentucky, also rescinded “sanctuary” policies, in the face of action from the federal government. Although Greenberg insisted that the Louisville Metropolitan Police Department (LMPD) is “not involved in enforcing federal immigration policy,” the mayor did agree to honor ICE detainers, when ICE asks state or local police to keep an illegal immigrant already jailed for committing a crime jailed for an extended period so that ICE can safely take custody of the illegal immigrant in a law enforcement facility. “The federal government’s 48-hour detainer is standard practice for the State of Kentucky’s Department of Corrections today. It was also standard practice for Louisville Metro Corrections until 2017. We are currently the only city in Kentucky that doesn’t follow this practice,” Greenberg confessed. “Metro Corrections will begin honoring 48-hour federal detainers as soon as practical because the stakes are too high. In turn, Louisville will no longer be considered a ‘sanctuary city’ by the federal government.”

Greenberg also noted that his administration decided to comply with federal law in order to avoid federal lawsuits and targeted action by ICE. “Cities on the sanctuary city list right now are experiencing a terrifying increase in raids by ICE, including mass raids,” the mayor said. “From the data I’ve reviewed, we’re talking about under 100 inmates at our jail each year who are charged with crimes and affected by detainers. We have tens of thousands of immigrant families in Louisville. We do not want to see highly coordinated and often violent federal enforcement action here…”

In comments to The Washington Stand, Lora Ries, director of the Heritage Foundation’s Border Security and Immigration Center, suggested, “The simplest thing states and localities can do to avoid preventable crimes is to allow ICE into their prisons to pick up known criminal aliens who are about to be released following their criminal detention.” She explained, “Border Czar Tom Homan has said countless times that if sanctuary jurisdictions refuse to allow ICE into their prisons, ICE must go into the community in which the sanctuary jurisdiction released the criminal alien to take custody. This requires more planning, more agents, and resources.” Ries added, “It also endangers the agents, the alien, and community members if the alien, community members, and/or protestors refuse to cooperate with ICE or interfere with the agents.”

“The federal government should withhold federal funds from states and localities that hinder federal agents from carrying out federal laws. The Justice Department has placed several jurisdictions on notice that they may lose federal funds if they do not change their sanctuary policies,” Ries observed. “These three jurisdictions have realized the seriousness of the consequences and are course correcting to do the bare minimum — hold a criminal alien for up to an additional 48 hours for ICE to pick them up,” she continued. “It’s time for all named jurisdictions on the DOJ sanctuary list to do the same to protect their own citizens and uphold the rule of law.”

Jessica Vaughan, director of Policy Studies for CIS, told TWS, “Sanctuary policies are a serious public safety problem, and especially concerning because they are adopted for purely political reasons.” She explained, “The biggest problem is that they inevitably result in the release of criminal aliens who were arrested for local crimes and otherwise would be taken straight into ICE custody if not for the policies forced on the law enforcement agencies. We know from ICE records that a significant number (about 1/4) will commit another crime in the first few months after release (‘Rejecting Detainers, Endangering Communities’). More will re-offend if they are allowed to remain on the streets here.”

Vaughan continued, “In addition, sanctuary policies force ICE officers to do their work on the streets instead of in a secure location like a jail. This results in the kind of chaotic and dangerous situations we’re now seeing in Chicago, Portland, Los Angeles, and other places.”

“While many local governments see the light after tragedies happen, like the Laken Riley case, it’s clear that the diehard sanctuaries like Chicago and Boston will never abandon their policies on their own,” Vaughan observed. “That’s why it’s important for the federal government to impose consequences. Louisville and Baltimore County and a number of other jurisdictions have done the right thing, and hopefully others will follow suit.”

The DOJ’s “sanctuary” jurisdiction list currently includes California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Minnesota, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, the District of Columbia, Cook County (Ill.), San Diego County (Calif.), San Francisco County (Calif.), Albuquerque, Berkeley (Calif.), Boston, Chicago, Denver, East Lansing (Mich.), Hoboken (N.J.), Jersey City (N.J.), Los Angeles, New Orleans, New York City, Newark (N.J.), Paterson (N.J.), Philadelphia, Portland, Rochester (N.Y.), Seattle, and San Francisco City.