East Lansing Named as Michigan’s Sole Sanctuary City in DOJ’s New List
In a recent update, the U.S. Department of Justice has released a revised list of “sanctuary jurisdictions,” highlighting East Lansing as the only city in Michigan to be included. This latest list also identifies over a dozen states, four counties, and 17 additional cities across the United States.
The return of this list comes without a detailed explanation from the DOJ. The previous list was retracted two months earlier following criticism from organizations such as the National Sheriffs’ Association. Notably, the earlier version from the Department of Homeland Security in May listed numerous areas, including East Lansing, Ann Arbor, and several Michigan counties. Those other Michigan locales have since been omitted from the updated list.
U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi commented, “Our department will continue bringing litigation against sanctuary jurisdictions and work closely with the Department of Homeland Security to eradicate these harmful policies around the country.”
The Justice Department has already initiated lawsuits against several areas and reported that legal pressures led Louisville’s mayor to revoke the city’s sanctuary status.
In 2023, East Lansing’s City Council passed a resolution to become a sanctuary city. The resolution specifies that local police will not aid federal authorities in enforcing immigration laws.
According to the DOJ, jurisdictions can earn the sanctuary designation by actions such as limiting federal immigration funding, restricting cooperation with ICE detainers, or creating offices to support undocumented residents.
WKAR has sought comments from East Lansing officials but has yet to receive a response.
As of August 5, 2025, the DOJ’s list of sanctuary jurisdictions includes:
STATES:
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Illinois
- Minnesota
- Nevada
- New York
- Oregon
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
- Washington
COUNTIES:
- Baltimore County, MD
- Cook County, IL
- San Diego County, CA
- San Francisco County, CA
CITIES:
- 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 City, CA
Copyright 2025 WKAR Public Media
—
Read More Michigan News
