DHS removes federal list of 'sanctuary jurisdictions' that included Georgia cities, counties

The Department of Homeland Security has removed a list of so-called "sanctuary jurisdictions" from its website after receiving pushback from cities and sheriff's associations.

The list, which was riddled with misspellings, received criticism from officials in communities spanning from urban to rural and blue to red who said the list doesn’t appear to make sense.

The list was published on Thursday on the department’s website but on Sunday there was a "Page Not Found" error message in its place.

What we know:

The department announced last week that more than 500 jurisdictions across the country would receive formal notification that the government deemed them uncooperative with federal immigration enforcement and whether they’re believed to be in violation of any federal criminal statutes.

The list was part of the Trump administration’s efforts to target communities, states and jurisdictions that it says aren’t doing enough to help its immigration enforcement agenda and the promises the president made to deport more than 11 million people living in the U.S. without legal authorization.

The list is being constantly reviewed and can be changed at any time and will be updated regularly, a DHS senior official said.

"Designation of a sanctuary jurisdiction is based on the evaluation of numerous factors, including self-identification as a Sanctuary Jurisdiction, noncompliance with Federal law enforcement in enforcing immigration laws, restrictions on information sharing, and legal protections for illegal aliens," the official said in a statement.

Local perspective:

Athens, Atlanta, and the counties of Athens-Clarke, DeKalb, Douglas, and Fulton were flagged for policies that federal officials say limit cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

In addition to being listed publicly, these jurisdictions face the potential loss of federal funding. Federal agencies are tasked with reviewing grants and contracts to determine which may be suspended or terminated based on noncompliance.

Although there is no official legal definition for a "sanctuary jurisdiction," the term typically refers to places where local governments or law enforcement limit their cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.

What they're saying:

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said on Fox News’ "Sunday Morning Futures" that there had been anger from some officials about the list. However, she didn’t address why it was removed.

"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."

The other side:

After the list was released, Fulton County officials issued a statement saying that they were not aware of why the county was placed on the list and are working to reserve the designation. 

"Fulton County complies with state and federal laws, including Georgia law that bans sanctuary jurisdictions. Our law enforcement agencies cooperate fully with state and federal agencies in enforcement of applicable laws. Fulton County also uses the E-verify platform in our hiring and procurement practices," the county said.

In California, the city of Huntington Beach made the list even though it had filed a lawsuit challenging the state’s immigration sanctuary law and passed a resolution this year declaring the community a "non-sanctuary city."

Jim Davel, administrator for Shawano County, Wisconsin, said the inclusion of his community must have been a clerical error. Davel voted for Trump as did 67% of Shawano County.

Davel thinks the administration may have confused the county’s vote in 2021 to become a "Second Amendment Sanctuary County" that prohibits gun control measures with it being a safe haven for immigrants. He said the county has approved no immigration sanctuary policies.

What's next:

It is not clear if the list will be updated and republished or if it will be permanently taken down.