The Fight That Could Define 2026
Nobody knows exactly why the Trump administration just slapped the “sanctuary state” label on Nevada. But one thing is crystal clear: it’s already becoming the defining issue of the 2026 governor’s race.
The U.S. Department of Justice stunned Nevada politics this week by officially listing the Silver State as a “sanctuary jurisdiction” right alongside California and New York.
The federal government claims Nevada has:
“policies, laws, or regulations that impede enforcement of federal immigration laws.”
But they won’t say which specific policies triggered the designation. That mystery is now fueling a fierce political battle between Republican Governor Joe Lombardo and Democratic Attorney General Aaron Ford, who are expected to face off for the governor’s mansion in 2026.
Governor Joe Lombardo isn’t happy about it. His office said Tuesday:
“Despite the Attorney General’s attempts to implement sanctuary policies, Nevada is not a sanctuary state and will never be a sanctuary jurisdiction under Governor Lombardo,”
He’s pointing the finger directly at Democratic Attorney General Aaron Ford.
Please see the following statement from my office: pic.twitter.com/LQMiDxcrlI
— Governor Joe Lombardo (@JosephMLombardo) August 5, 2025
Why This Matters to You
Think about it this way: When the federal government calls your state a sanctuary jurisdiction, it’s like getting a big red mark on your report card.
U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi said:
“Sanctuary policies impede law enforcement and put American citizens at risk by design.”
For conservatives who believe in law and order, this designation is deeply troubling. It suggests Nevada isn’t fully cooperating with federal immigration enforcement.
The Ford Connection
Here’s where it gets interesting for the 2026 governor’s race. Aaron Ford, who’s running against Lombardo for governor, has a history with sanctuary policies. In 2017, Ford co-sponsored a bill to make Nevada a sanctuary state. The bill would have banned state and local police from helping with federal immigration enforcement.
That 2017 bill would have cost Nevada $23 million in federal funding. The Department of Safety would have lost $14.5 million. Most shocking? The Division of Emergency Management would have lost 29 out of 33 positions. Imagine trying to handle wildfires or disasters with almost no emergency management staff.
Las Vegas Metro would have lost $8.5 million in federal funds too. That’s real money that pays for police officers and public safety programs.
Ford’s Flip-Flop
Now Ford claims he doesn’t support sanctuary policies:
“As I have stated time and again, I do not support policies that provide sanctuary to criminals. Period.”
But conservatives aren’t buying it. Ford’s stark reversal comes about a month after he launched his gubernatorial bid. It’s awfully convenient timing for such a dramatic change of heart.
Yes, you do support sanctuary state policies @AaronDFordNV.https://t.co/IkR6ggpHuP #NVleg #NVgov https://t.co/Eytdb6Q24s pic.twitter.com/X5KI7sfs9F
— Nevada War Room – Better NV PAC (@BetterNevadaPAC) August 6, 2025
What Triggered the Federal Label?
The federal government doesn’t just randomly pick states for this list. Although Nevada has no “sanctuary laws” in place, it does have the Governor’s Office for New Americans, a state office to help integrate “new and aspiring” Americans created under Democratic former Gov. Steve Sisolak and continued under Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo.
Ford also published immigration guidelines earlier this year. These policies tell police they shouldn’t act as “unpaid federal immigration agents” and shouldn’t honor certain ICE requests unless they come with judicial warrants. To conservatives, this sounds like bureaucratic roadblocks designed to help illegal immigrants avoid deportation.
The Conservative Response
Republican leaders are pushing back hard. Lombardo’s office said the state has:
“repeatedly reached out to the Department of Justice for clarification on its designation and looks forward to their timely response.”
Senate Minority Leader Robin Titus has been calling for stronger cooperation with ICE for months. Back in May, when just Las Vegas got labeled a sanctuary city, Titus said there was “some truth in it” and pushed for law enforcement to enter 287(g) agreements with ICE – programs that let local officers help with immigration enforcement.
Here’s the ironic part: Las Vegas Metro actually listened. They signed a cooperation agreement with ICE shortly after that first sanctuary designation. But instead of getting Nevada off the federal government’s bad list, the entire state just got labeled as a sanctuary jurisdiction.
The Nevada Sheriffs’ and Chiefs’ Association published their own policies supporting ICE and federal law enforcement. This came at Lombardo’s request, showing a clear divide between how Republicans and Democrats want to handle immigration.
Conservative groups are also getting involved. The Better Nevada PAC released a series of posts this week reminding voters about Ford’s 2017 sanctuary state bill and his ongoing policies that they say help illegal immigrants avoid law enforcement.
What Critics Are Saying
Ford and his supporters argue this is all political theater. They claim the federal designation is wrong and that Nevada follows all federal laws.
Democratic Rep. Dina Titus called the designation “bogus,” and Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto’s office said:
“Nevada is not a sanctuary state, and this designation is wrong.”
Ford blames Lombardo for the state’s problems, saying in his statement that:
“Governor Lombardo is trying to distract from the fact that hardworking Nevadans are suffering on his watch in an economy that has lagged behind the rest of the country in job growth.”
What Happens Next?
This fight isn’t going away. The DOJ said the list will be reviewed regularly and adjusted to include additional jurisdictions or remove jurisdictions that have “remediated their policies, practices, and laws.”
The 2026 governor’s race is shaping up to be a referendum on immigration policy. Lombardo represents the law-and-order approach that conservatives favor. Ford represents the more liberal approach that got Nevada on this federal list in the first place.
Watch the 2026 governor’s race closely. This sanctuary state designation could be the issue that decides who runs Nevada for the next four years. Conservatives have a choice between a governor who fights federal sanctuary labels and an attorney general who once tried to make Nevada an official sanctuary state.
The stakes couldn’t be higher for Nevada’s future.
This article was written with the assistance of AI. Please verify information and consult additional sources as needed.
