What is a "Sanctuary City"?
Sanctuary policies aim to create safe cities.
The term “Sanctuary City” is not a real legal term, and there is no specific set of guidelines that a city must follow to qualify as a sanctuary city. Typically, a city is labeled a "sanctuary city" when its local government implements laws and policies that restrict the cooperation of local law enforcement with federal immigration enforcement. The purpose of sanctuary policies is to create safer cities by protecting undocumented immigrants who may need to interact with law enforcement if they are witnesses or victims of a crime. These policies make it safer for undocumented immigrants to seek medical care, report crimes, and go to immigration court without fear. It is essential to note that sanctuary policies comply with federal law. Therefore, even in sanctuary cities, local law enforcement can still honor ICE requests under specific circumstances. Additionally, all jurisdictions share fingerprint information from individuals booked into prison or jail with the federal government.
New York City has historically been a sanctuary city. New York City law enforcement only honors ICE detainers if they are enforced by a judicial warrant or if the individual has committed a serious crime. Also, New York City agencies don’t share immigration information with federal authorities unless someone is suspected of a crime. Mayors can often be central in advocating for the protection of sanctuary policies. NYC sanctuary policies began in 1989 with Mayor Ed Koch’s executive order to bar city officials from sharing information about immigrants with federal immigration authorities, and sanctuary policies have been expanded and reinforced by New York City mayors with diverse ideological platforms. This is particularly important in light of the Trump administration’s effort to crack down on sanctuary cities. However, mayors can stand up to Trump on ICE enforcement by strengthening and expanding sanctuary laws, as well as creating vital support programs for immigrants.
