Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem defended the agency's use of a controversial list labeling cities as "sanctuary" jurisdictions after pushback from sheriffs led the Department of Homeland Security to remove it from its website, Reuters reported.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has taken down a list naming states, cities, and counties it alleged were "sanctuary" jurisdictions — areas said to limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities — after the National Sheriffs' Association raised concerns that the list damaged trust with law enforcement.

The list, first published Thursday, was created following an executive order from President Donald Trump directing the agency to identify jurisdictions that do not fully comply with federal immigration enforcement. Critics, including top law enforcement officials, said the effort lacked transparency and could harm cooperation with local agencies.

"A list of alleged noncompliant sheriffs in a manner that lacks transparency and accountability" was how Sheriff Kieran Donahue, president of the National Sheriffs' Association, described it. In a Saturday statement, Donahue said DHS did not consult sheriffs before releasing the list and that the effort "violated the core principles of trust, cooperation, and partnership with fellow law enforcement."

By Sunday, the DHS webpage featuring the list was no longer accessible. The list's sudden removal became a point of discussion on Fox News' "Sunday Morning Futures," where host Maria Bartiromo pressed Noem on its disappearance.

"I saw that there was a list produced," Bartiromo said. "Now, the list I don't see anymore in the media. Do you have a list of the sanctuary cities that are actually hiding illegals right now?"

Noem did not confirm the list had been taken down but maintained that some jurisdictions still met the criteria. "Some of the cities have pushed back," Noem said. "They think because they don't have one law or another on the books that they don't qualify, but they do qualify. They are giving sanctuary to criminals."

Officials in several named jurisdictions — including cities in Southern California, Colorado, and Massachusetts — have rejected the label, saying they do not have sanctuary policies and that the DHS list was politically driven.

San Diego City Attorney Heather Ferbert said her city, which appeared on the DHS list, had not adopted any sanctuary law. "We suspect this is going to be used as additional threats and fear tactics to threaten federal funding that the city relies on," Ferbert told local media.

Supporters of sanctuary policies, including some Democrats and immigrant advocates, argue that limiting cooperation with federal immigration enforcement encourages undocumented residents to report crimes without fear of deportation. At a House hearing in March, mayors from Boston, Chicago, Denver, and New York City testified that such policies have improved public safety.

Despite the pushback, Noem said the department intends to continue using the sanctuary designation. "They are giving sanctuary to criminals," she repeated, aligning with Trump's firm stance on immigration enforcement.

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