Are you wondering which states have decided to ban sanctuary cities from being established? Some have referred to them as “Non Sanctuary Cities“. You’re in the right place!
The issue of illegal immigration into America, primarily through the Southern Border but also through other means, has been a fixture of American political discourse for decades. For many years, both Republican and Democrat politicians paid lip service to the need to secure our borders but rarely offered anything other than empty rhetoric to address the problem.
Until Donald Trump.
Southern Border Crisis
While the Trump Administration confronted the issue more aggressively than any other administration in recent memory, building walls and creating policies to keep migrants in third-world countries did not eradicate the problem entirely.
Now, the Biden Administration has allowed the floodgates to open, nullifying any progress made by his predecessor.
But in reality, Left-wing politicians have contributed to the illegal immigration crisis for years and have supported policies in their states that directly contradict federal immigration laws.
The most flagrant violation of federal immigration law that state and local governments have supported is the establishment of “Sanctuary Cities.” A Sanctuary City is: “a city whose municipal laws tend to protect undocumented immigrants from deportation or prosecution, despite federal immigration law.”
Sanctuary cities create incentives for migrants to come to America illegally and shield them from consequences once they have arrived. The good news is that some states in the Union still value the rule of law.
If you’re looking for a list of sanctuary cities in the US, visit this page.
Non Sanctuary States: What States Ban Sanctuary Cities?
Here are the states whose governments have decided to ban sanctuary cities from being established:
Mississippi
Mississippi is not a sanctuary state. There were no sanctuary cities in the state of Mississippi when the state decided to proactively ban them in 2017.
CNN reported that these bans block “counties, cities, and colleges ‘from creating, planning, implementing, assisting, participating in, or enabling a sanctuary policy.’”
Missouri
Missouri is not a sanctuary state. In 2009, a law was enacted in Missouri to cut funding from any city that refused to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement.
North Carolina
North Carolina is not a sanctuary state. It banned sanctuary cities back in 2015.
In 2017, the state addressed the matter again, this time proposing to strip state revenues given to any jurisdiction that attempts to create an illegal immigrant sanctuary. The bill passed and was signed into law in June of 2018.
Alabama
Alabama is not a sanctuary state. In 2011, Alabama passed HB 56, which at the time was a controversial anti-illegal immigration law that prohibited Sanctuary Cities as well as implementing an array of measures meant to crack down on incentives for illegal immigrants, such as E-Verify requirements for employers, voting ID laws, and others.
South Carolina
South Carolina is not a sanctuary state. While South Carolina does not explicitly have a ban on Sanctuary Cities, state law stipulates that no local entity can interfere with or restrict the enforcement of federal immigration laws. Blocking cooperation with federal agencies, such as ICE, is a common tactic in sanctuaries used to obstruct the deportation of illegals living there.
Georgia
Georgia is not a sanctuary state. Georgia banned Sanctuary Cities through legislation passed in 2009.
Tennessee
Tennessee is not a sanctuary state. Tennessee banned Sanctuary Cities in 2009.
Although the state does not have any Sanctuary Cities, in 2017, the state’s legislature introduced SB 155, which would strip state funding from any local entity enacting sanctuary policies. The bill was not voted on.
Florida
Florida is not a sanctuary state. It passed a ban on Sanctuary Cities in 2019.
CNN reported, “Florida’s measure forbids law enforcement agencies and local governments from adopting policies that limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities.”
Arkansas
The state of Arkansas is not a sanctuary state. It passed a ban on Sanctuary Cities in 2019.
The Arkansas Democrat Gazette reported that Governor Asa Hutchinson was initially reluctant to sign the bill for fear that it may lead to racial profiling. This objection was overcome when a provision to require probable cause was included when dealing with a suspected illegal immigrant.
Texas
Texas is not a sanctuary state. Governor Greg Abbot signed Texas’ ban on Sanctuary Cities in 2017.
The law enforces a fine of $25,500 per day for any city who does not comply and permits charging police chiefs and constables who fail to comply with detention requests with misdemeanors, and in removal from office for elected and appointed officials.
Montana
Montana is not a sanctuary state. Montana is the latest state to have banned Sanctuary Cities, passing the law in April 2021.
The state does not currently have any illegal immigrant sanctuaries. However, Governor Greg Gianforte believed the law was necessary in light of the immigration crisis currently playing out under the Biden Administration.
The law allows the state’s attorney general to pursue civil charges against jurisdictions that do not comply with state law, including fines and denying state funding.
A nation cannot exist without borders, and the flood of illegal immigration currently surging through the country will do nothing but destabilize our communities, endanger law enforcement and citizens alike, and further erode the rule of law.
The United States needs to confront this issue. As the federal government continues to disregard its mandate to enforce immigration law, this list is only likely to grow in the coming years.
To keep following along on our Blog Series, State Rankings Reports, and other important law enforcement matters, sign up below to receive email alerts and updates!
Image Credit: Photo by Sam Xu on Unsplash
