### West Michigan Counties Misidentified as Sanctuary Jurisdictions by Trump Administration

The Trump administration has recently labeled two counties in West Michigan, Kent County and Kalamazoo County, as "sanctuary jurisdictions," despite both counties not self-identifying as such. This designation, made public by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on May 29, implies that these jurisdictions are obstructing the enforcement of federal immigration laws.

According to the DHS, sanctuary jurisdictions are areas that deliberately hinder the enforcement of federal immigration laws. The department has sent formal notifications to the identified jurisdictions, highlighting their alleged noncompliance and potential violations of federal criminal statutes.

Contrary to the federal listing, the Kent County Board of Commissioners has chosen not to pursue sanctuary status. In a meeting held in February, the board decided against considering this designation, despite advocacy efforts within the community.

Kalamazoo County officials have also refuted their inclusion on the sanctuary jurisdiction list. "The recent claim that Kalamazoo County is a 'sanctuary jurisdiction' is inaccurate," they asserted in a statement. "We have never declared ourselves as such, and we do not have any policies that interfere with federal immigration efforts."

Kalamazoo County officials expressed concern over the consequences of being inaccurately labeled non-compliant. They highlighted the risk to essential federal funding, on which many of the county's families, workers, and neighborhoods depend. "False labels from the federal government can have real consequences," the officials added.

In addition to Kent and Kalamazoo counties, other Michigan jurisdictions, including Ann Arbor, Lansing, Oakland County, Washtenaw County, Wayne County, and Wexford County, were also mentioned in the DHS list as sanctuary jurisdictions.