Philly and other areas in Pennsylvania were listed as sanctuary jurisdictions.
On Thursday, the Trump administration named 16 Pennsylvania cities and counties on a list of sanctuary jurisdictions. The list includes places to be formally notified of what the president has deemed their noncompliance with federal immigration law.
The list, issued by the Department of Homeland Security, includes jurisdictions in 30 states. They are accused of “deliberately and shamefully” obstructing enforcement of federal laws and endangering American communities.
The list was compiled utilizing several factors, including whether the areas identified themselves as sanctuary jurisdictions, how much they complied with federal officials on immigration enforcement, and whether they restricted the sharing of information with federal authorities.
The jurisdictions are being accused of protecting undocumented immigrants from facing legal consequences while putting law enforcement officials at risk.
Those cities and counties on the list are at risk of losing billions of dollars in aid to hundreds of communities across the United States.
From Pennsylvania, Montgomery, Delaware, and Chester Counties were listed. The cities of Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Gettysburg, State College, and York were also named sanctuary jurisdictions.
The state of New Jersey was named a sanctuary state on the list. California was also listed as a sanctuary state with 110 jurisdictions listed.
The Department of Homeland Security issued a statement, saying, “DHS demands that these jurisdictions immediately review and revise their policies to align with federal immigration laws and renew their obligation to protect American citizens, not dangerous illegal aliens.”
Manuel Bonder, spokesperson for Governor Josh Shapiro, said the governor “has made clear” that Pennsylvania is “not a sanctuary state.”
“We continue to follow all state and federal laws, comply with court orders and coordinate with law-enforcement partners at all levels when appropriate in order to keep our communities safe,” Bonder said.
On April 28th, President Trump signed an executive order that directed the U.S. Attorney General’s Office to publish the list of states and cities it believes are obstructing the enforcement of federal immigration laws.
The order and the list come as part of a broader effort within the Trump administration to combat illegal immigration and restore border security in the United States.
