Newry, Mourne and Down District Council has voted down a Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) motion seeking to suspend the area’s City of Sanctuary status. The motion was defeated by 27 votes to 7.

City of Sanctuary is a network involving schools, health services and local authorities to offer support and inclusion for refugees, asylum seekers and vulnerable migrants. The local council had previously voted to adopt the status.

The DUP motion, brought by Mournes councillor Henry Reilly, called for suspension of any move towards membership. Reilly argued that the Republic of Ireland’s entry into the EU migration and asylum pact could displace people into border areas, and that Newry risked becoming an “escape hatch” for those no longer eligible to remain in the Republic. He said the district was “already at breaking point” and could not cope with an influx.

Sinn Féin councillor Declan Murphy described the motion as dangerous dog-whistling, linking it to a campaign of threats against elected members who supported sanctuary status. He noted that a viable explosive device was left outside the Sinn Féin Newry office in October 2025, and that councillors from Sinn Féin, Alliance and the SDLP received death threats, including a message that they would be “dragged out and hung on the street”. A video from a group calling itself the New Republican Movement said political representatives were “legitimate targets”. The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) launched an investigation and made an arrest under the Terrorism Act.

Alliance councillor Tierna Howie said the motion falsely blamed migrants for challenges facing communities. SDLP councillor Pete Byrne stated that City of Sanctuary does not control immigration and accused the DUP of fanning division with misleading claims. Ulster Unionist Party councillor David Taylor supported the motion, saying there were “genuine concerns” in the community about immigration that deserved debate.

The motion was defeated after a majority of councillors voted against suspension.