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Leavenworth County commissioners declare county a "non‑sanctuary" jurisdiction
Summary
The Leavenworth County Board of County Commissioners voted to adopt a proclamation designating the county as a "non‑sanctuary" jurisdiction and saying county services should not be extended to people who entered the U.S. unlawfully; the board approved the proclamation by voice vote.
The Leavenworth County Board of County Commissioners voted to adopt a proclamation declaring the county a "non‑sanctioned" (non‑sanctuary) county and directing county officials to not extend local government services to people the proclamation described as undocumented aliens who entered the United States illegally.
The proclamation, read to the board before the vote, said the county would "not extend any local government services to harboring or support or of undocumented aliens who've entered The United States illegally" and included a recitation of federal immigration laws and past statutes the text said the board considered in reaching the decision.
Board members moved and seconded adoption of the proclamation and approved it by voice vote. Commissioners recorded affirmative votes during the roll call that followed; the clerk called for each commissioner to state their vote and commissioners responded in the affirmative.
County Administrator Jeremy (name provided in meeting) answered questions from commissioners about whether the county was currently negotiating with private prison operators or federal immigration authorities; he said the county "has not been in discussion with them" about converting the closed private facility to an ICE detention site and that the facility sits within the city of Leavenworth's boundaries, making the city the first jurisdiction to contact for any such plans.
The proclamation also contained language welcoming and supporting people who entered the United States legally and said the board was bound by oaths to uphold Kansas and U.S. law. No formal instructions to alter existing county policies or to create new enforcement mechanisms were recorded in the meeting minutes beyond the adoption of the proclamation itself.
The board took the action as a formal proclamation; no ordinance or binding regulatory change was adopted during the session.
The vote: the motion to adopt the proclamation passed by voice vote with the commissioners present recorded as voting "aye."
