The U.S. Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security have released updated lists of so-called sanctuary jurisdictions, sharpening a national fight over local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement that has stretched through 2024 and into 2025. Under President Trump’s direction, the DOJ pulled back an error-filled list in May and issued a new, streamlined version in August 2025, while also filing lawsuits aimed at rolling back local policies that limit work with federal agents. Local rules, however, largely remain in place as governors, mayors, and courts continue to defend them.
At the center of the renewed push is Executive Order 14287, signed in April 2025. The order tells federal agencies to identify and publicize jurisdictions that “obstruct” federal immigration law and to take legal action to bring them in line. The DOJ now publishes the official list and has brought cases against several large cities and states. In parallel, Republican-led committees held hearings from March through July where mayors from Boston, Chicago, Denver, and New York defended their approaches, saying these rules help public safety and trust in policing.
The term sanctuary jurisdiction has no single legal definition. It’s a broad label for states and localities that limit help to federal immigration authorities, especially on issues like detainers—requests from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to hold a person after local charges are resolved—and jail access.
Common policies include:
– Blocking local police from making arrests for civil immigration matters.
– Refusing to sign 287(g) agreements that deputize local officers as immigration agents.
– Limiting or rejecting detainer requests without a judicial warrant.
– Restricting information sharing about a person’s immigration status.
The newest list posted by the DOJ and DHS includes, among others, California (with Los Angeles and San Francisco), Colorado (Denver), Illinois (Chicago and Cook County), New York (New York City and Rochester), Oregon (Portland), Washington (Seattle), Massachusetts (Boston), New Jersey (Hoboken, Jersey City, Newark, Paterson), Pennsylvania (Philadelphia), plus the District of Columbia and several other states named in federal materials. The list is reviewed on a rolling basis, and jurisdictions are notified and given a chance to respond or adjust local policies before further steps. The agency’s entry makes clear the roster can change as local laws are updated.
To view the current federal list and agency explanation, see the DOJ’s official page: https://www.justice.gov/ag/us-sanctuary-jurisdiction-list-following-executive-order-14287-protecting-american-communities.
Policy Changes Overview
The administration’s approach in 2025 marks an escalation of tactics used in President Trump’s first term, but the tools remain familiar: public naming, court challenges, and political pressure. The August 2025 release followed a retraction of the earlier list in May, which contained errors that officials later corrected. The updated roster largely features Democratic-led states and cities, reflecting the political divide over how much local police should help in civil immigration matters.
Key developments since January include:
1. The signing of Executive Order 14287 in April, directing DOJ and DHS to identify jurisdictions that limit cooperation and to seek legal remedies.
2. A wave of DOJ lawsuits against cities such as New York City, Los Angeles, Denver, and Rochester, and against four New Jersey cities, seeking to strike down or narrow local rules.
3. A series of congressional hearings where city leaders argued that residents are more likely to report crimes, serve as witnesses, and cooperate with police when they know officers won’t act as immigration agents.
Officials in several states have pushed back on DOJ designations. For example:
– Connecticut leaders called the label “a concocted fiction,” emphasizing that the state’s long-standing laws govern how police handle detainers and information requests.
– In Illinois, a federal judge in July 2025 dismissed a DOJ lawsuit against Chicago’s sanctuary rules, signaling that some claims face steep hurdles in court.
These outcomes echo past cycles of litigation where courts weighed federal authority against local control and constitutional concerns.
There is also a funding angle, but it has not changed much this year. The administration has warned jurisdictions that there could be consequences for policies that, in its view, block enforcement. As of August 2025, however, the DOJ has not rolled out new direct penalties beyond public exposure and the pending lawsuits. Local officials say they will keep defending their laws, while federal agencies say they will continue to bring cases and update the list.
Legal Battles and Local Response
Sanctuary policies rest on a few core ideas about roles and authority:
– Local police enforce state and local criminal laws, not federal civil codes.
– When someone is arrested on a local charge, police can hold them until a judge orders release or the sentence is complete.
– ICE may send a detainer asking the jail to hold the person longer so federal agents can take custody.
Many sanctuary rules assert that, without a judicial warrant, local jailers cannot keep someone beyond their local charge. Other provisions:
– Limit interviews by federal agents in jails.
– Block local officers from being deputized as immigration agents under 287(g).
Practical effects for immigrants are tangible but limited:
– Local officers typically do not detain someone solely because of immigration status and won’t honor ICE detainers without a judge’s order.
– Federal agents can still operate in the same city or county: ICE can conduct arrests, execute workplace enforcement, and act under federal law.
This means sanctuary policies can reduce touchpoints between local police and federal immigration enforcement, but they do not stop federal activity.
Examples of how the policies influence everyday interactions:
– A parent in a sanctuary city may feel safer calling police to report domestic violence because local officers won’t ask about immigration status during the call or at the station.
– A worker may be more willing to speak to detectives, knowing the focus is the offense and suspect rather than the worker’s papers.
According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, these everyday interactions are central to local leaders’ arguments that sanctuary rules support safety and trust.
Law enforcement agencies in listed areas often emphasize continued cooperation with federal partners on serious crimes. Many policies preserve collaboration when:
– A person faces felony charges, or
– A judge has issued a warrant.
Police leaders argue this balances public safety with limits on turning local officers into immigration agents. Some sheriffs and district attorneys also warn that detaining people without proper legal authority could expose their offices to lawsuits.
The DOJ’s position is the opposite: sanctuary jurisdictions “impede law enforcement and put American citizens at risk.” Federal lawyers argue:
– Refusing detainers and limiting information sharing can allow people to reenter communities who should be in federal custody.
– Local rules can conflict with federal law.
Cities and states counter with legal arguments that include:
– The Tenth Amendment and other protections prevent the federal government from forcing local officials to carry out federal programs.
– Detainers are requests, not commands.
– Holding someone without a judge’s order can violate the Fourth Amendment.
Designation Process and Political Context
The designation process typically involves these steps:
1. DOJ and DHS review local ordinances, policies, and practices.
2. The agencies notify the state or locality and invite a response.
3. Jurisdictions may adjust rules, clarify acceptance of judicial warrants, or stand firm and prepare for court.
4. If a jurisdiction remains on the list after review, the DOJ may file suit.
Politics heavily colors the debate. The roster features many large, Democratic-led metro areas with sizable immigrant populations. Critics often sit in Congress or in Republican statehouses that favor broader cooperation with ICE. The current approach leans on litigation and public lists rather than new funding penalties — a shift from some tactics attempted in the administration’s first term.
Consequences and responses:
– For local governments: the most concrete effect is the cost and time of defending policies in court and the national attention that comes with being named.
– City halls and state attorneys general are allocating legal resources and communications teams.
– For immigrant communities: the signal is mixed.
– The label can cause worry and fear about local-federal cooperation.
– Most local rules remain intact, and federal enforcement powers have not changed because of the list itself.
– Service providers advise residents to keep documents up to date, know their rights if approached by law enforcement, and—when safe—to report crimes.
Advocacy groups, legal aid organizations, and research groups argue that sanctuary policies do not raise crime rates and can help police solve cases by encouraging victims and witnesses to come forward. Police chiefs in several cities have made similar points at hearings. Opponents maintain that any barrier to federal custody increases public risk. Those conflicting claims will continue to play out in courts, city halls, and on Capitol Hill as the 2026 midterm season approaches.
What’s Next
The DOJ and DHS say they will keep updating the roster as they review local actions. Jurisdictions can seek removal by:
– Revising policies, or
– Winning in court.
More rulings are expected in the coming months, and each outcome may influence how other cities write their laws. The legal and political debate over sanctuary jurisdictions has lasted more than a decade; the 2025 round shows it is far from over.
Key takeaway: The updated federal list and accompanying lawsuits escalate pressure on localities, but most sanctuary policies remain in place, federal enforcement authority is unchanged, and the dispute will continue through litigation and politics.
This Article in a Nutshell
Under Executive Order 14287, DOJ and DHS published an August 2025 sanctuary list and filed lawsuits against major cities. Local policies largely persist, limiting detainers and 287(g) agreements; courts and politics will shape outcomes into 2026.
