Feds put San Francisco, Berkeley on blacklist of sanctuary cities

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — The U.S. Department of Justice added the cities of San Francisco and Berkeley to its new blacklist of “Sanctuary Jurisdictions” for allegedly impeding federal immigration enforcement.

Federal DOJ officials said they are working to protect American communities from “criminal aliens.”

Cities landed on the “Sanctuary Jurisdiction” list for several reasons, including obstructing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents from working with local law enforcement officers, providing training to city employees on upholding sanctuary policies, as well as declining to respond to ICE requests for information.

DOJ officials wrote Tuesday, “These designations were made after a thorough review of documented laws, ordinances, and executive directives by the listed jurisdictions. This initial list of designated Sanctuary Jurisdictions will be reviewed regularly, to include additional jurisdictions and remove jurisdictions that have remediated their policies, practices, and laws.”

Cities that circumvent federal laws prohibiting “provision of federal benefits to illegal aliens and provide them with access to benefits, including health care assistance, legal aid, food and housing assistance, and other subsidies” also made the list, DOJ officials said.

On Tuesday morning, San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie proclaimed support for protecting his city’s immigrant communities. Lurie said $3.4 million in philanthropic funding will allow the city’s Public Defender’s Office to hire additional attorneys and staff to support immigration legal defense efforts against deportations.

City employees are also being trained on San Francisco’s policies prohibiting all city departments from engaging in, supporting, or facilitating immigration enforcement activities.

Lurie said, “Under our city’s longstanding policies, local law enforcement does not assist with federal immigration enforcement. As mayor, I will continue to uphold them.”

On Tuesday, the DOJ said the following cities nationwide are on the U.S. Sanctuary Jurisdiction List:

• Albuquerque, NM
• Berkeley, CA
• Boston, MA
• Chicago, IL
• Denver, CO
• East Lansing, MI
• Hoboken, NJ
• Jersey City, NJ
• Los Angeles, CA
• New Orleans, LA
• New York City, NY
• Newark, NJ
• Paterson, NJ
• Philadelphia, PA
• Portland, OR
• Rochester, NY
• Seattle, WA
• San Francisco, CA