US Justice Department posts list of 'sanctuary jurisdictions,' threatens more lawsuits

WASHINGTON

The US Justice Department published Tuesday a list of 35 so-called "sanctuary jurisdictions," raising the specter of legal action against state and local governments unless the policies are reversed.

The list includes states, counties and cities that limit or bar cooperation with federal immigration authorities, including California, Colorado, Connecticut, New York, and Washington DC. Attorney General Pam Bondi said the policies "impede law enforcement and put American citizens at risk by design."

"The Department of Justice will continue bringing litigation against sanctuary jurisdictions and work closely with the Department of Homeland Security to eradicate these harmful policies around the country," she added.

Trump signed an executive order on April 28 mandating that the Justice Department compile the list. The agency has since filed suit against New York state, New York City and Los Angeles for their "sanctuary" policies.

A judge in the state of Illinois dismissed a separate lawsuit in July against Chicago brought by the Justice Department, ruling that the midwestern city's "sanctuary" policies do not impede federal authorities carrying out immigration enforcement.

The suit, originally filed in February, was one of the first by the Trump administration after President Donald Trump assumed office in January.

Chicago remains one of the jurisdictions listed by the Justice Department as a sanctuary city after the legal setback to the president's efforts to end "sanctuary" policies.