The Trump administration has started naming and shaming ‘sanctuary cities’

The Declined Detainer Outcome Report, a weekly compilation of alleged crimes committed by undocumented immigrants in so-called sanctuary jurisdictions, listed Travis County State Jail and Travis City Jail on about 11 pages of the first issue.

Homeland Security officials cautioned that the report offered only a snapshot of a week’s worth of detainers – requests from ICE to a law enforcement agency to hold an immigrant for up to 48 hours after they are released on bail so that immigration agents can take them into custody and seek to deport them.

Gov. Greg Abbott called Travis County “the worst offender”, with 142 people released from custody between January 28 and February 3, amounting to almost 70 percent of the nationwide total in the counties identified by ICE.

The crimes the 116 individuals are charged with include drug trafficking, aggravated assault, homicide, domestic violence, sexual assault, kidnapping, and sex offense against a child. “Today’s report from DHS is deeply disturbing and highlights the urgent need for a statewide sanctuary city ban in Texas”, he said.

The release of the list coincides by a published report suggesting that Travis County was targeted for heightened ICE action in retaliation for Sheriff Sally Hernandez’s more nuanced approach to immigration policy locally, reserving ICE detainer requests for undocumented felons rather than misdemeanants.

Abbott is pushing legislation that would kill funding and fine any Texas jurisdiction that adopts a sanctuary city policy. Bastrop County declined three requests and Williamson County declined four.

Some of the detainers issued stretch back to 2014, with the data including instances only when a detainer was confirmed to be declined.

DHS officials repeatedly said they believe the detainer requests and refusals will increase in subsequent reports as Trump’s strict immigration policies are carried out.

The Williamson County sheriff’s office said the report is “misleading” and that it honors all ICE detainer requests.

In the House, some have called for the bill’s scope to be reduced, arguing that most lawmakers agree that sheriffs and other law enforcement should comply with detainers from ICE. During a call with reporters Monday, senior DHS officials indicated that many county jails list the names of inmates in public databases, which can be used to identify people listed in the DHS report. “Washington County will continue to follow the court’s clear guidance that these detainer requests are unconstitutional”.

President Trump has long criticized cities and counties that refuse to cooperate with federal immigration authorities in detaining illegal immigrants for possible deportation.

Immigration advocates said more and more local authorities are not cooperating with ICE requests in order to build community trust and to encourage immigrants, who are victims of crimes, to come forward.

Monday’s detainer report listed 10 jurisdictions that fail to comply with detainers “on a routine basis”. Also unclear is the status of the immigrants – whether some are in federal or state custody.

Dozens of other detainers were ignored by other jurisdictions for immigrants charged or convicted with crimes such as assault or DUI.

Snohomish County Sheriff Ty Trenary issued a defiant response Tuesday morning, and he bristled at a statement by Acting ICE Director Thomas Homan that agencies lack of cooperation “undermines ICE’s ability to protect public safety”.

Some field offices had ceased issuing detainers to known uncooperative jurisdictions, according to ICE.