United States Attorney General Pam Bondi proclaimed on Tuesday, July 22, that the city of Louisville, Kentucky, is no longer a “sanctuary city.” Bondi announced what she called “a major victory” in a post on X.
Bondi declares ‘victory’
“In a major victory for the Department of Justice, the city of Louisville is dropping its sanctuary policies as a result of a strong written warning from my office,” Bondi wrote on social media. “This should set an example to other cities. Instead of forcing us to sue you — which we will, without hesitation — follow the law, get rid of sanctuary polices, and work with us to fix the illegal immigration crisis.”
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Bondi did not go into further detail about the change in status for Louisville.
Louisville mayor complies
Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg responded to the move and said that the Metro Department of Corrections has begun recognizing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainers.
“I’ve talked with leaders within our immigrant community before I made this decision,” Greenberg said. “I heard their fears loud and clear about current federal policies and ICE actions. I also heard that they want Louisville off the federal sanctuary list. This change removes Louisville from that list.”
“I believe we will best protect our law-abiding immigrant community and our entire city by focusing the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement on the few inmates in our jail who have been arrested for committing crimes and are subject to deportation,” Greenberg said.
He added, “I know these are uneasy times. As your Mayor, I pledge to continue to work together to protect our entire community, to listen and to navigate our city’s best path forward regardless of what decisions are made in Washington.”
The letter from the DOJ
Greenberg confirmed that on June 25, he received a letter from the U.S. Assistant Attorney General of the Civil Division, Brett A. Shumate, which stated his city was in violation of federal law after failing to hold undocumented immigrants in custody with an ICE detainer. Shumate noted that while the 48-hour detainer requirement was being carried out elsewhere in the state of Kentucky, Louisville was not following detainer rules.
“Accordingly, Metro Corrections will begin honoring 48-hour federal detainers as soon as practical because the stakes are too high,” Greenberg said.
Greenberg defended his decision, citing that the city could lose “hundreds of millions of dollars” in federal money if it didn’t comply with the demand.
The Trump administration’s issue with sanctuary communities
The mayor also claimed that he had seen an increase in the number of ICE raids on other sanctuary communities, and did not want to subject his city to the same circumstances.
The city’s sanctuary rules had involved the Louisville Metro Department of Corrections refusing to recognize ICE detainers. As a result, migrants with that classification were not being held for up to 48 hours in jail so ICE agents could take them into federal custody.
Greenberg said the other parts of Louisville’s sanctuary rules, including barring local authorities from performing immigration enforcement, will remain intact.
The Trump administration argues that sanctuary cities, counties and states are a barrier to ICE performing its necessary duties in carrying out federal enforcement of immigration laws.
Earlier in 2025, the Department of Homeland Security released a list of more than 500 sanctuary communities, demanding they change their policies. The list, however, was quickly removed from the DHS website after criticism. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem also accused sanctuary jurisdiction officials of protecting violent criminals through their policies.
Defense of sanctuary communities
However, advocates for sanctuary jurisdictions contend that they protect the rights of undocumented immigrants and safeguard against federal overreach. They also note that these sanctuary communities cooperate with federal authorities when it comes to serious and violent crimes.
The Supreme Court also previously ruled that immigration enforcement is the duty of the federal government, not local jurisdictions.
ACLU condemns the move
The American Civil Liberties Union of Kentucky came out against the move.
“By choosing to comply in the face of the Trump administration’s threats, Louisville has aligned itself with policies that have led to increased fear, mass deportations and instability in cities across the country. Today’s decision will no doubt bolster the Trump administration’s political attacks on Democratically led municipalities and will not prevent further federal interference into local matters,” ACLU of Kentucky Director Amber Duke told Newsweek in a statement.
“We urge the city to reconsider this policy change and to reaffirm its commitment to protecting all residents, regardless of immigration status,” Duke added. “Our city leaders must stop ignoring the deadly conditions at LMDC and take steps to avoid incarcerating more people or keeping them in the facility for extended periods of time.”
