Sheriff responds to DHS listing Clark County as a sanctuary jurisdiction

Clark County Sheriff John Horch was surprised to learn that the Department of Homeland Security listed Clark County as a sanctuary jurisdiction, even if just for a couple of days before the list was taken down from the DHS website

Paul Valencia
Clark County Today

Last week, the Department of Homeland Security released a list of counties from across the United States that it considered to be sanctuary jurisdictions. Clark County was on that list.

That was a surprise to Clark County Sheriff John Horch.

“We have never obstructed federal immigration efforts,” Horch told Clark County Today on Tuesday.

To be fair, the sheriff also said his department does not enforce federal law. The department does not work with ATF or DEA agents, for example — except in emergencies or in the service of criminal warrants..

“We’d assist any federal agency, including ICE, if it’s an emergency,” Horch said.

The National Sheriff’s Association condemned the list of sanctuary jurisdictions that DHS posted, and soon, the DHS took down that list from its website. 

As of earlier this week, the link to https://www.dhs.gov/sanctuary-jurisdictions says “Page Not Found.”

“This list was created without any input, criteria of compliance, or a mechanism for how to object to the designation,” said Kieran Donahue, the president of the National Sheriff’s Association in a story posted on the association’s website. 

The organization represents thousands of leaders in law enforcement across the country.

Donohue also noted that the list is an “unfortunate and unnecessary erosion of unity and collaboration with law enforcement.”

While many counties in blue states such as Washington, Oregon, and California were listed, there were also many counties in red states that were put on the list. It was confusing to many of the local law enforcement agencies, the association noted.

In Clark County, Horch said he was unaware that Clark County was going to be on the list.

“I don’t think it’s fair to be put on a list that you’ve never been contacted for,” he said.

Horch also released a statement regarding the designation:

“We were not informed in advance that Clark County would be listed as a ‘sanctuary’ county on the Department of Homeland Security’s website. To date, we have not been contacted directly by the Department of Homeland Security regarding this designation, nor have we ever ‘obstructed’ federal immigration efforts.

“Our policies regarding cooperation with federal agencies have remained consistent over time. They are clear in outlining the circumstances under which we assist with federal investigations. 

“The safety and well-being of our community remains our top priority, and we continue to focus on policies that protect and serve residents of Clark County.”

Earlier this year, Clark County Today posted a series of stories detailing Horch’s time as sheriff. In March, he said nothing has changed in his administration in regard to how his department deals with federal law enforcement cases. 

The Clark County Sheriff’s Office is prohibited by state law to enforce federal immigration policies since the Washington State legislature passed the Keep Washington Working Act in 2019. That act was passed before Horch took office.

“We don’t do federal enforcement,” Horch said.

That goes beyond Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The sheriff’s department does not work on IRS investigations and does not work on DEA matters, for example. 

There are exceptions. The sheriff’s department can assist with a federal agency if the agency wants help with serving a criminal warrant, a warrant that has been signed by a judge.  

In any situation involving law enforcement, if an emergency arises, the Clark County Sheriff’s Office will respond.

“We’re not going to leave fellow law enforcement,” Horch said.