WARREN COUNTY, Ohio — The Warren County Sheriff says the county was mistakenly designated as a sanctuary jurisdiction by the Department of Homeland Security.
The federal government recently released its list of sanctuary jurisdictions as part of an executive order from President Donald Trump, which requests identification of cities and states not complying with federal immigration laws.
Warren County was named on this list, but Sheriff Barry Riley said in a statement released on social media that the county's inclusion is a mistake.
"This report is wrong," said Riley. "A mistake has been made and incorrectly listed Warren County. We have reached out to representatives of the Department of Homeland Security to correct the issue."
We reached out to Riley to learn more about the alleged error. He tells us that the county is "waiting on DHS to correct the report which they acknowledge needs corrected".
Riley expressed his commitment to enforcing immigration laws in the statement.
"As Sheriff, I fully support the protection of our great nation's borders and the citizens of this county," said Riley. "I stand behind the mission that if you are in this country illegally, you should be sought out, detained, treated humanely, processed according to the law and returned to your home country. In fact, this was the directive I gave as soon as I took office."
Media ReleaseStatement Regarding Executive Order 14287:Protecting American Communities from Criminal AliensThis morning, I was made aware that Warren County was listed as a jurisdiction which “...obstructs the enforcement of Federal immigration laws in compliance with… pic.twitter.com/rY27kG4m6s
— Warren Co Sheriff (@WCSO_Ohio) May 30, 2025
Warren County is home to cities like Mason and Lebanon. It has no obvious prior designation as a sanctuary county. It does share a Congressional district with Hamilton County and Cincinnati, which has designated itself a sanctuary city. The district is represented by Democrat Greg Landsman.
Sanctuary jurisdictions are defined by the Department of Homeland Security as cities, counties, and states that allegedly obstruct the enforcement of federal immigration laws, thus "endangering American communities."
The reasons for Warren County's inclusion on the list remain unclear.
According to the DHS website, factors that determine placement on the list include "compliance with federal law enforcement, information restrictions and legal protections for illegal aliens."
Additionally, the city of Cincinnati and Campbell County in Northern Kentucky were also included on the list.
Hear more from both Warren and Campbell counties, who say it's a mistake they are on the list, in the video player below:
What does it mean to be on the list?
It isn't yet clear. The Department of Homeland Security writes on its website that "Each jurisdiction listed will receive formal notification of its non-compliance with Federal statutes. DHS demands that these jurisdictions immediately review and revise their policies to align with Federal immigration laws and renew their obligation to protect American citizens, not dangerous illegal aliens."
President Trump's executive order says that the Director of the Office of Management and Budget will "identify appropriate Federal funds to sanctuary jurisdictions, including grants and contracts, for suspension or termination, as appropriate."
Immigration lawyer Neil Fleischer sat down with us on Friday. He's said he was surprised to see Warren and Campbell counties on the list.
“I don’t think the list really means anything, except they are trying to put pressure on local municipalities to enforce federal immigration law," Fleischer said.
Fleischer said federal funding could be restricted to the cities and counties listed in the report, but that hasn't been made clear.
He said it's adding to the rising anxiety in these communities.
“Especially the immigrant population, they’re terrified," Fleischer said.
The order goes on to say that any jurisdictions that remain "in distance of Federal law" after being notified, "the Attorney General and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall pursue all necessary legal remedies and enforcement measures to end these violations and bring such jurisdictions into compliance with the laws of the United States."
