Trump administration takes Nevada off sanctuary state list

By Liam Hibbert
The Center Square

After Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo’s agreement to full federal cooperation on immigration enforcement, Nevada becomes the first state removed from the Trump administration’s sanctuary jurisdiction list.

The Governor’s Office and the U.S. Department of Justice reached a deal to further align Nevada with federal immigration policy.

“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 said in the statement late Friday afternoon. “The State’s agreement with the Department of Justice today reaffirms our commitment to following federal immigration law in Nevada.”

The nine-page memorandum between the DOJ and Governor’s Office included four commitments the state was making to the federal government on immigration enforcement, with no commitments made by the Trump administration to Nevada.

The first commitment was for the state to set aside Federal Emergency Management Agency funds for Nevada sheriffs “who have demonstrated a commitment to facilitate operations by ICE.”

Earlier this year President Donald Trump signed an executive order declaring immigration along the southern border a national emergency. Last week, a federal judge ruled Trump cannot require states to cooperate on immigration enforcement to receive emergency funding through FEMA.

2025 has seen a high number of emergency declarations by Trump, who made nine of them under the 1976 National Emergencies Act.

Emergencies allow for the president to wield a wide range of powers – from spending tax dollars to imposing tariffs – without congressional approval.

Nevada’s second commitment was to deploy the Nevada National Guard in administrative work for federal immigration enforcement within the state. Lombardo had previously agreed to this, while also leaving the potential for deployment outside of Nevada.

The third commitment the Governor’s Office agreed to was to fight Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford, a Democrat, and the Legislature on their immigration policies. That includes signing executive orders. Democrats have majorities in both the state Assembly and Senate, but lack enough votes to override Lombardo’s vetoes.

“Nevada will take steps available in law to counter-balance any actions the Nevada Attorney General and Nevada Legislature may take to enact unlawful sanctuary policies,” the memorandum read.

The last agreement was to allow the federal government to add new clauses to the agreement as it sees fit.

The memorandum was made effective immediately.

The Governor’s Office Monday did not grant a phone interview requested by The Center Square, but referred this outlet to the statement mentioned previously in this story.

Another statement came from reelection funders Better Nevada PAC, who highlighted Ford’s previous opposition to local immigration enforcement.

The Democratic candidate for governor sponsored a bill in 2017 that would have barred local officials from immigration enforcement.

“I have never supported sanctuary for criminals,” Ford said in a statement. “The sanctuary designation from the Trump administration happened on Governor Lombardo’s watch, which is yet another failure of his tenure.”

It is unclear exactly how the sanctuary state designation would have impacted Nevada.

Besides Lombardo and Ford, the 2026 gubernatorial race features another Democrat, Washoe County Commissioner Alexis Hill, and another Republican who declared in August he’s running, Las Vegas Valley entrepreneur Matthew Winterhawk. Lombardo and Ford are widely seen as the likely frontrunners.

To officially enter the race, candidates are required to file next year between March 2 and March 13, according to the Nevada Secretary of State’s Office.