What are sanctuary cities?
A sanctuary city is a city that shelters undocumented
immigrants. According to apsanlaw.com, these cities "do not permit
municipal funds or resources to be applied in furtherance of enforcement of
federal immigration laws." In these cities, local and state government
employees are often instructed not to inquire about one's immigration status
and told not to report undocumented workers.
In some sanctuary cities, if an undocumented immigrant is
caught committing a crime, say driving without a license, they will be ordered
to serve jail time or pay fines, but will then be let go, according to the
Washington Post. Since there is no official designation for sanctuary cities, policies
vary across the board.
Which U.S. cities are considered sanctuary
cities?
According to the Washington Times, more than 340 U.S.
cities are considered sanctuary cities. Some of the larger cities that have
vowed to continue protecting undocumented immigrants include New York City, Los
Angeles, Seattle, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Austin, according to
Remezcla.
Why do U.S. cities choose to shelter
immigrants?
For the most part, cities that shelter undocumented
immigrants have diverse, liberal communities. Many of these cities recognize
deportation as the "wrong punishment" for undocumented immigrants,
thus constituting a breach of civil law. It is often said that sanctuary cities
encourage undocumented immigrants to work with local authorities without fear
of deportation so that law enforcement can identify and arrest real criminals.
A CNN report shows that chiefs from the country's largest police departments and
police groups, such as the International Association of Chiefs of Police,
support sanctuary cities because they help officers and communities to combat
crime.
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