Nevada added to DOJ sanctuary jurisdiction list despite close ICE ties

It’s unclear why Nevada is considered a safe haven for undocumented immigrants, which is at odds with the governor’s push to help detain and deport them.

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) recently added Nevada to its official list of sanctuary jurisdictions. Earlier this year, the city of Las Vegas was designated as such, but Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo worked swiftly to rectify the so-called error, according to the Nevada Independent. 

“Sanctuary jurisdiction,” though legally undefined, generally refers to areas that restrict ICE access to jails and funds, limit information sharing with federal immigration authorities, and provide dedicated offices for undocumented individuals, according to the DOJ.

Even with the reinstatement of 287(g) this summer by LVMPD—a policy that deputizes officers to act as ICE, send deportation alerts, and honor ICE “detainers” or 48-hour holds—and a nearly 300% increase in ICE arrests, the entire state of Nevada has been reclassified as a sanctuary state. This applies to the whole state, rather than just Las Vegas, which had been singled out on the list in May. The DOJ declared that all listed jurisdictions underwent a thorough review of their “documented laws, ordinances, and executive directives.”

Lombardo, endorsed by President Donald Trump, quickly reaffirmed his state’s compliance with federal immigration authorities in a post on X/Twitter, following the announcement. He also claimed that the DOJ has skirted communication with his office after multiple failed attempts to contact them for clarification.

“Nevada is not a sanctuary state and will never be a sanctuary jurisdiction under Governor Lombardo,” the governor’s office statement read.

Lombardo disagrees with the state’s status on the DOJ’s list of sanctuary jurisdictions. It’s unclear why Nevada, which he claims is acting in compliance with ICE, would be considered a sanctuary jurisdiction.

According to an Executive Order from April, the US Attorney General and the Secretary of Homeland Security must immediately notify each sanctuary jurisdiction about “its defiance of Federal immigration law enforcement and any potential violations of Federal criminal law.”

The order calls such sanctuary jurisdiction activity “a lawless insurrection against the supremacy of Federal law,” punishable by the termination or suspension of “appropriate” federal grants and contracts.

The Nevadan reached out to the DOJ, but has not received specifications behind Nevada’s inclusion on the list.