Some view sanctuary cities as places for harboring fugitives, while others view them as safe havens. But a more accurate description may be that they are cities trying to regain trust between law enforcement and the people.
The Trump administration has been battling against sanctuary cities by threatening to withhold federal grant money from jurisdictions that refuse to comply with new immigration laws.
Sanctuary cities have become yet another topic torn between the two political extremities — the right tending to believe this is a revolt against federal law and the left assuming that they provide a place of refuge for marginalized groups. These are both slightly distorted views and here’s why.
Sanctuary cities are places that limit cooperation with immigration enforcement, but this varies place to place. The process of arrest is the same everywhere in the United States, but the local law enforcement has the choice of further detainment once an undocumented immigrant is reported. If the local police decide to honor the federal request and detain the person, immigrants will no longer feel safe to call enforcement when a crime occurs, making them an easy target for criminals and creating an easy avenue for crimes to be committed.
But even if the officer releases the person, there is no guarantee that the ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) will not take action. The deportation process cannot be fully stopped by local law enforcement, but it has the ability to determine the extent of cooperation with the system.
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Fair Observer’s editorial policy.
Photo Credit: wyliemcintyre
Support Fair Observer
We rely on your support for our independence, diversity and quality.
For more than 10 years, Fair Observer has been free, fair and independent. No billionaire owns us, no advertisers control us. We are a reader-supported nonprofit. Unlike many other publications, we keep our content free for readers regardless of where they live or whether they can afford to pay. We have no paywalls and no ads.
In the post-truth era of fake news, echo chambers and filter bubbles, we publish a plurality of perspectives from around the world. Anyone can publish with us, but everyone goes through a rigorous editorial process. So, you get fact-checked, well-reasoned content instead of noise.
We publish 2,500+ voices from 90+ countries. We also conduct education and training programs
on subjects ranging from digital media and journalism to writing and critical thinking. This
doesn’t come cheap. Servers, editors, trainers and web developers cost
money.
Please consider supporting us on a regular basis as a recurring donor or a
sustaining member.
Will you support FO’s journalism?
We rely on your support for our independence, diversity and quality.
Overcoming American Greed and Apathy Won’t Be Easy
The US is making the bombs that Israel is dropping on Gaza. America’s moral foundation is so shaky now that...
Goodbye to American Century: China and India Now Rising
The 21st century could potentially be the century of the G-3—China, India, and the US—and whether that means new cold...
Who Will Buy America’s Debt Now?
Aside from the two years of 1998 and 2001, the US federal government has been running an annual fiscal deficit...
