Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins has issued a statement addressing the recent inclusion of Westchester County in the Department of Homeland Security’s list of “sanctuary municipalities.” The federal listing, which appeared online last Thursday and was subsequently removed over the weekend due to numerous errors, incorrectly identified Westchester as a sanctuary county.
Jenkins clarified that Westchester County does not identify as a sanctuary jurisdiction and complies with federal law. He stated, “There is no legally recognized definition of a ‘sanctuary jurisdiction.’ Unfortunately, the federal government has used this term as a political sword—wielding it to strike fear, promote division, and engage in fear mongering.”
In response to the erroneous listing and its potential implications for federal funding, Jenkins announced plans to seek legal action. “Earlier today, we asked the Board of Legislators to authorize legal steps. With that authorization in hand, I will direct the Westchester County Attorney to explore legal action against anyone attempting to threaten Westchester’s federal funding,” he said.
Jenkins emphasized that protecting Westchester from political maneuvers that could jeopardize critical funding is paramount. He remarked, “We refuse to sit back while partisan actors play political games that could cost us millions in critical federal funding.”
The statement also highlighted Section 8 of Westchester County’s Immigrant Protection Act, noting it allows compliance with federal laws concerning immigration status information. Jenkins reiterated that while no law mandates local enforcement of civil immigration laws, communication between county and federal authorities on non-immigration-related crimes remains authorized.
Concluding his remarks, Jenkins underscored the county’s adherence to judicial orders and laws: “Unlike the Federal government, Westchester County follows Judicial Orders – and we will not break laws. We are not scared of being on a ‘list’ and we are not threatened by words.”
