An East Lansing councilmember is reacting to an online list that was recently put up and later taken down by the Department of Homeland Security that said the city was obstructing federal immigration law.
In a post that went online last Thursday, the DHS listed hundreds of cities, counties and states the department described as “sanctuary jurisdictions.”
The list included East Lansing, as well as Ann Arbor and several Michigan counties.
It disappeared from the agency’s website within a week, after widespread criticism from groups including the National Sheriffs’ Association.
In a statement to NPR, the DHS said the list is constantly reviewed and can be changed at any time.
East Lansing City Councilmember Dana Watson said in her opinion, this kind of incident is typical of the Trump Administration.
“Some wonder are these tests to see how much can maybe be accepted or put through?” Watson said. “But the sad part is the harm … that’s caused, and the chaos that’s caused.”
Watson said the administration should have consulted the communities on the list before posting it on the DHS website.
“If the moves are not to seek consensus, not to talk to the people you should be talking to before you post things or say things or announce things to go against our constitution, then yeah, things like that happen.”
In 2023, the East Lansing City Council voted to declare East Lansing a sanctuary city, meaning city police would not assist federal authorities with enforcing immigration laws.