Hood River makes national list for ‘obstructing enforcement’ of federal immigration laws

The list stemmed from an executive order signed by President Trump on April 28, requiring federal officials to publish a national catalogue of jurisdictions that “obstruct the enforcement” of federal immigration laws. Under that order, once the list was determined, each jurisdiction would receive formal notification to change local laws or face lawsuits or loss of federal funding.

But when the list was published on the Homeland Security website on May 29, it ran into a buzzsaw of criticism, and from an unlikely source — The National Sheriff’s Association.

President Sheriff Kieran Donahue of Canyon County, Idaho, told NOR that the list was compiled without clear criteria or a way to contest designations, calling it “arbitrary” and urging DHS to take it down.

“This list was created without any input, criteria of compliance, or a mechanism for how to object to the designation,” he said. “Sheriffs nationwide have no way to know what they must do or not do to avoid this arbitrary label,” Donahue said. “This decision by DHS could create a vacuum of trust that may take years to overcome.”

Many jurisdictions also objected, and the pressure was so intense that by June 1, less than 48 hours after the list was posted, it was removed from the website. When and where it might return, and in what sort of amended form it might take remains to be seen.