Nevada removed from federal list of sanctuary jurisdictions

Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo announces his re-election campaign during an event at Rancho High School, Monday Sept. 15, 2025. Photo by: Christopher DeVargas

The Department of Justice is removing Nevada from a list of sanctuary jurisdictions, the DOJ said today in a news release announcing an agreement with the state to collaborate on immigration enforcement.

It’s the first state to be taken off the list, and U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi lauded Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo’s efforts to comply with immigration policy coming from President Donald Trump’s second administration. 

“The Department of Justice is committed to eradicating sanctuary policies across America,” Bondi wrote in a statement. “This should serve as a reminder to other jurisdictions: come to the table and work with us instead of going to court.”

The memorandum of understanding signed by Ryan Cherry, Lombardo’s chief of staff, acknowledges the state will continue what it’s done so far — such as using the Nevada National Guard as “administrative support” for Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Nevada will similarly keep using FEMA funds to support “federal operations,” including for “Nevada sheriffs who have demonstrated a commitment to facilitating operations by ICE.” Las Vegas Metro Police signed an agreement for increased collaboration with ICE earlier this year.

But the memorandum also commits to pushing back — through executive orders, public pronouncements or modeling "proposed legislation" — against attempts from the attorney general or state Legislature “to enact unlawful sanctuary policies." 

The agreement focuses on a list of model immigration policies Attorney General Aaron Ford, D-Nev., published in February, which the Legislature required him to create.

The nonbinding document was designed by the Legislature to, within what’s legal, limit immigration enforcement at schools, courthouses and health care facilities, Ford wrote in a statement after its release. 

“Despite the Attorney General’s attempts to implement sanctuary policies, Nevada is not a sanctuary state, has never been a sanctuary state, and will never be a sanctuary state under my leadership,” Lombardo wrote Friday.

While not naming Ford, who is the Democrats' presumptive pick to face Lombardo in next year’s governor race, the memo references Lombardo’s work countering the model policies.

“Under the leadership of Governor Lombardo, the State of Nevada is committed to addressing our nation's immigration crisis, and in continuing to take steps to ensure Nevada does not offer sanctuary to illegal aliens,” the document reads.

Many other actions the governor has taken related to immigration featured in the memo were also included in a policy timeline compiled by Lombardo’s office. That includes supporting law enforcement agencies entering agreements with ICE and vetoing legislation.

The DOJ signed off on the agreement Wednesday, and it will stay in effect “until otherwise rescinded.”

Ford, through his office, wrote in a statement that he's "never supported sanctuary for criminals" while calling the August sanctuary designation "yet another failure of (Lombardo's) tenure."

"Unlike the governor, I have actually passed legislation to crack down on fentanyl being trafficked across our border, and have won more than $1 billion to combat the opioid issue right here in Nevada," Ford wrote.