(The Center Square) – The Department of Justice (DOJ) has listed Nevada as a “Sanctuary Jurisdiction,” putting it in the Trump administration’s cross hairs.
Nevada’s political leaders have the sanctuary state designation.
“Nevada has followed all federal laws and cooperated with federal immigration authorities, and will continue to do so,” wrote Gov. Joe Lombardo (R-NV) said on the social media platform X. “The state has repeatedly reached out to the Department of Justice for clarification on its designation and looks forward to their timely response.”
Nevada was named along with 11 other states, four counties, Washington D.C. and 18 U.S. cities.
“Some State and local officials nevertheless continue to use their authority to violate, obstruct, and defy the enforcement of Federal immigration laws,” read President Donald Trump’s April 2025 executive order, Protecting American Communities From Criminal Aliens. “This is a lawless insurrection against the supremacy of Federal law and the Federal Government’s obligation to defend the territorial sovereignty of the United States.”
In that same executive order the DOJ and Homeland Security were directed to create a list of sanctuary jurisdictions. The list was formed out of nine overarching criteria – from public declarations of sanctuary policies to non-cooperation with the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, or ICE.
While the nine points outline some idea of the administration’s view of what a sanctuary jurisdiction is, there is no official definition. The general idea of the term is that an area will not ask questions about somebody’s immigration status nor report their status to federal enforcement, normally excluding people who have committed crimes.
Elected officials from both parties have disputed the state’s designation.
“Nevada is not a sanctuary state, this designation is wrong,” said Sen. Catherine Cortez-Masto (D-NV) said in a statement.
Attorney General Aaron Ford wrote on X, “As I have stated time and again, I do not support policies that provide sanctuary to criminals. Period.”
Ford is running for governor and Lombardo, the incumbent, took issue with Ford’s statement.
“Despite the Attorney General’s attempts to implement sanctuary policies, Nevada is not a sanctuary state and will never be a sanctuary jurisdiction under Governor Lombardo,” he wrote on X, later adding, “@AaronDFordNV will turn Nevada into a sanctuary state on Day 1.”
Attorney General Ford responded, “Governor Lombardo is trying to distract from the fact that hardworking Nevadans are suffering on his watch in an economy that has lagged behind the rest of the country.”
While Nevada has no self-defined sanctuary policies in place, the legislature passed AB 217 that would have restricted ICE agents from entering public school grounds. Lombardo vetoed the bill.
The DOJ sanctuary list, while defined by vague qualifications, threatens serious financial impacts for the Silver State.
“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,” Attorney General Pamela Bondi said in a statement.
The DOJ statement also referenced an ongoing lawsuit against New York City launched in July over Sanctuary Laws.
The issue of illegal immigration and sanctuary jurisdictions has already impacted the state.
Across the state fears of increased immigration enforcement have closed businesses, including the temporary shutdown of the state’s largest outdoor market, Broadacres Marketplace.
Fueled by a near 300% increase in ICE arrests through June, Nevada, with some of the most undocumented immigrants in the country, has been put on a state of alert by this latest DOJ list.
