Sanctuary Cities
 The majority of illegal immigrants in the U.S. had to face some dangers in their journey to reach the United States. This is especially true for many that entered the country illegally. Sometimes the dangerous journey is made on more than one occasion due to being caught by immigration officials at the
U.S.-Mexico border. Seeing how close they are to reaching American soil they are not willing to give up easily. Other times the journey is made again when there is a family emergency in their homeland that forces them to temporarily return or maybe they get
deported. Certain cities across the U.S. have reputations for being more immigrant-friendly.
Illegal immigrants sometimes find themselves in a “foreign” world since they may only be fluent in their homeland’s primary language. They may be aware of some American traditions but not all. America has a higher standard of living than most countries, so they may initially experience “culture shock.” The transition to a new life in the U.S. is usually eased by
family and/or friends already in the United States. They also seek places where there are many
jobs available and there is a strong economy. In order to make their dream of a better life come true living in such a place will increase their chances of achieving this.
Illegal immigrants also tend to reside in places where other immigrants are at because it makes for a more “homely” environment. In large immigrant communities they will tend to find places that carry foods and products from back home. Also the illegal immigrants are less likely to be looked down upon as many residents may be able to relate to them and their humble beginnings.
Many of these cities that are considered immigrant-friendly are often referred to as sanctuary cities. The local governments do not exactly put out a welcome mat for
illegal immigrants. However, word gets around that their treatment toward illegal immigrants is less discriminatory compared to other places. This can happen through word-of-mouth and with media coverage. In sanctuary cities there tends to be more support for
illegal immigrants around the community. Some examples may include immigrant activists and church groups. However, there are also some community members who greatly disapprove of illegal immigrants and are vocal about it. Some American cities that have been classified as “sanctuary cities” include: San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami, Chicago, Seattle, Houston, Phoenix, Austin, Dallas, Washington D.C., Detroit, Salt Lake City, Minneapolis, Baltimore, Portland (both Maine and Oregon), Denver, New York City, Chicago
and the whole state of New Jersey. Some cities disagree that they fall under this category and claim to be strict when it comes to immigration law enforcement. Cities can have formal or informal sanctuary policies. Formality is attained when the local government approves something in writing. It usually comes in the form of an ordinance, order, resolution or policy. An informal sanctuary policy is not on paper but is well-known among city/county workers. Unlike a formal sanctuary policy, there is no public record of it. How do some people know about the informal policies? They usually know by statements made by a public official and/or their behavior. A public official may include someone like a law enforcement official.
In 1996 a federal law called the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act was passed. It required that governments at the local level work together with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Throughout the nation there has been an increased level of cooperation among different branches of government and government agencies. This is especially true after the 9/11 attacks but the level of cooperation varies from location to location. There is added pressure for local and state governments to comply especially with funding at stake at times. Cities have limited budgets to provide services to their communities. Populations are quickly growing and living longer in general. Sometimes
immigrants become scapegoats and discrimination against them becomes more widespread. Some cities have tried to pass legislation to discourage
illegal immigrants from residing in certain areas. However, these tend to be declared unconstitutional the higher up they go in the court system. Other cities have taken a different approach to avoid the possibility of discriminatory practices. It is a measure that prevents not only discrimination against
illegal immigrants but also against
U.S. citizens and permanent residents. Congress continues to struggle in finding an effective way to deal with immigration and introduce immigration reform. Sometimes this struggle is taken on by local governments. The result is that some cities end up being classified as sanctuary cities. However, even cities that are considered “sanctuary cities” are not exactly a safe haven for
illegal immigrants anymore.
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