Sanctuary Jurisdictions Up 40 Percent Under 'Border Czar' Harris

The number of sanctuary jurisdictions in the U.S. has surged under the Biden-Harris administration, with 170 new sanctuary cities and counties added to the list, reflecting a 40% increase, the Washington Examiner reported.

These areas, known for their refusal to cooperate with federal immigration authorities in turning over criminal migrants, now total more than 595, sparking concerns about the enforcement of state laws where sanctuary policies have been explicitly banned.

According to the Center for Immigration Studies, which tracks these jurisdictions through a comprehensive sanctuary city map, the recent surge includes states like Virginia, North Dakota, Nebraska, New York, and Minnesota — regions where local policies defy state-level prohibitions.

Jessica M. Vaughan, director of policy studies at the center, expressed alarm over this growing trend, particularly in areas where local authorities disregard state laws.

"These localities seem to be flouting state law, and there should be consequences if they do not reverse the policy right away," Vaughan stated.

She has diligently updated the sanctuary city list since 2015, when the center accessed internal U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement data through a Freedom of Information Act request.

The number of sanctuary jurisdictions has been a contentious issue. While the new count suggests a 40% increase from the previous estimate of 425 jurisdictions, some reports indicate the surge could be as high as 85%, depending on varying data sources. A congressional report showed that as of last year, there were around 200 sanctuary jurisdictions, which experts believe might be an undercount.

Despite the administration's efforts, led by Vice President Kamala Harris in her role as "border czar," to slow the arrest of illegal immigrants within the United States, the expansion of sanctuary jurisdictions has continued unabated.

Vaughan highlighted that approximately 17% of U.S. jails are now uncooperative with ICE, choosing not to honor detainer requests, which allow ICE to take custody of illegal immigrants directly from local jails. This poses significant risks, as it is far easier and safer for ICE to apprehend these individuals in custody rather than after release.

The consequences of these sanctuary policies have been severe. There have been several high-profile incidents where illegal immigrants, previously sought by ICE, were released by local authorities and subsequently committed further crimes. Vaughan noted that more than 10,000 criminal aliens have been released due to sanctuary policies, with many re-arrested for additional offenses.

"It is alarming to see the continued proliferation of sanctuary policies, especially in places like Virginia, where ICE has had to use its scarce resources to re-arrest violent gang members and rapists in our communities who were set free by local jails when they should have been transferred directly to ICE custody for a plane ride home," Vaughan said.

"There is no good excuse or legal basis for these non-cooperation policies, which in many places have been adopted for political reasons. We have assisted a number of state and local officials in reversing sanctuary policies, and others should reexamine them in the wake of nearly four years of disastrous border policies that have waved in millions of unvetted migrants," she added.