The city of Columbus is one of more than 500 "sanctuary jurisdictions" placed on notice this week by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that the Trump administration believes are obstructing federal immigration enforcement laws.
In response, Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther's office says his 2017 executive order remains legally sound.
The order says that the city will not use city resources to apprehend anyone solely based on their immigration status and that the city will not deny city services to Columbus residents based on where they were born.
A statement from Ginther's office said the city will hold people accountable if they commit a crime.
"The city’s participation in immigration investigations is limited to situations where there’s been a crime – there’s a warrant, a criminal violation was reported, or there has been an arrest. We interpret this policy to be in compliance with all state and federal requirements," the statement said.
"We remain committed to our values, to being a welcoming city, and to protecting the well-being and safety of everyone who lives in our city," the statement said. "We believe the law is on our side and we will not be intimidated from supporting Columbus residents, no matter where they were born.”
A Homeland Security statement accompanying the list says each jurisdiction will be notified that they are not complying with federal statutes.
It said Homeland Security demands those jurisdictions immediately review and revise their policies to align with federal immigration laws.
Franklin County is also on the list, as are Cincinnati, Warren County in southwest Ohio and Lorain County in northeast Ohio.
In a statement, Franklin County commissioners said: "While Franklin County is a welcoming community, there have been no formal actions taken by the Board of Commissioners to legally designate Franklin County as a Sanctuary County."