Trump administration just listed Boise as an immigrant ‘sanctuary.’ But is it?
The Trump administration just listed Boise as a “sanctuary” jurisdiction, saying the city is defying federal immigration law.
But Boise has not declared itself a sanctuary city. In fact, sanctuary cities are banned in Idaho.
The Department of Homeland Security on Thursday put out a news release titled, “DHS Exposes Sanctuary Jurisdictions Defying Federal Immigration Law.” The release accompanied the posting online of what the department said is “a comprehensive list of sanctuary jurisdictions including cities, counties, and states that are deliberately obstructing the enforcement of federal immigration laws and endangering American citizens.”
Boise is on the list. It’s not clear why.
In an emailed statement, a department spokesperson told the Idaho Statesman that the list was based on several factors, including places calling themselves sanctuary cities, legal protections for undocumented immigrants and restrictions on immigration sharing. The list can be changed at any time, the spokesperson said.
The department offered no evidence of Boise resisting or failing to comply with federal immigration law. The spokesperson did not respond to follow-up questions asking why Boise was included.
“We are still waiting to hear from the Department of Homeland Security as to why we are on this list, as the city has not yet received any official notice from the Department,” Mayor Lauren McLean said in an emailed statement. “To be clear — Boise is not a sanctuary city.”
One way Immigration and Customs Enforcement rounds up undocumented immigrants is to issue detainers to jails when agents want to come pick up someone being held there. McLean noted that Boise has no jail of its own and no jurisdiction over Ada County’s.
She also said Boise’s “practices and policies follow our limited obligations as defined under federal immigration law.” She did not detail what those practices and policies are. Immigration enforcement powers belong to the federal government, not local police.
Federal law obligates cities to share some information about citizenship or immigration status with Immigration and Customs Enforcement if asked, according to Geoffrey Heeren, a University of Idaho law professor. But elected officials can decide if they want to gather that information or go out of their way to help immigration agents.
Under Idaho law, government officials can’t prevent or discourage officers from gathering or sharing information with immigration agents.
Another way to cooperate less is for cities and counties to not comply with immigration detainers, he told the Idaho Statesman by phone.
“There’s no formal definition of a sanctuary city, and it’s really a colloquial term that has been highly politicized,” Heeren said. “Different jurisdictions around the country have made different decisions in terms of the amount that they want to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement.”
In 2019, Welcoming America certified Boise as a “Welcoming City,” for immigrants, in part because of local organizations that helped refugees feel comfortable. But that’s not the same thing as a sanctuary city, which may limit local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement efforts.
“Each jurisdiction listed will receive formal notification of its non-compliance with Federal statutes,” said the Department of Homeland Security’s website. Boise is one of hundreds of places listed. “DHS demands that these jurisdictions immediately review and revise their policies.”
In 2023, the Idaho Legislature blocked governments from making policies that ban or discourage enforcing immigration law. At the time, bill sponsor Sen. Dan Foreman, R-Moscow, said he didn’t see a big problem with sanctuary cities in Idaho, according to previous Statesman reporting.
The only current “sanctuary jurisdiction” in Idaho is the Power County Jail, according to the Center for Immigration Studies, a think tank that wants less immigration. Even then, the jail still has limited cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, according to the center.
In fact, some Idaho cities have gone the opposite direction. In 2024 Eagle declared itself a “nonsanctuary” city and banned using taxpayers’ money for services for undocumented immigrants, according to previous Statesman reporting.
In 2020, newly elected McLean’s transition team did suggest that Boise become a sanctuary city. But McLean did not pursue the recommendation.
Sanctuary cities grew in popularity before President Donald Trump’s first term. In his second term, Trump has threatened funding for sanctuary cities as part of a broader immigration crackdown.
This story was originally published May 30, 2025 at 1:27 PM.
