Why Sanctuary is a Must for D.C.
For episode two (coming soon…we promise!) we’re focusing on organizing for immigrant rights in D.C. and the fight to keep the District a sanctuary city. Before the new episode drops (seriously, we’re working on it!), we wanted to share some of what we’ve learned about what it means to be a sanctuary city and why it should be important to folks living in D.C.
Less than a month after taking office, the Tweeter-in-Chief issued a vague executive order meant to intimidate hundreds of U.S. communities with funding cuts for welcoming the undocumented while limiting cooperation between local police and federal immigration enforcement agencies. Commonly referred to as sanctuary cities, these jurisdictions have become a boogeyman of sorts on the right — alleged hotbeds of crime leading the dilution of American cultural values (no links here…if you want to read this trash you’ll have to Google it for yourself). Since the District receives nearly one third of our annual revenues from federal grants, our community is uniquely vulnerable to threats stemming from the power of the federal purse. But, thanks to effective organizing, activism, and mobilization, the fight to maintain and strengthen the District’s sanctuary city status is being won in the streets and formalized into policy.
First, let’s clarify what we mean by “sanctuary city,” and dispel a few myths. There’s no “official” definition of a sanctuary city and the term can encompass a wide range of policies adopted for many different political or economic reasons. But, at its core, the sanctuary city movement is about local jurisdictions choosing to protect the basic human dignity and civil rights of their citizens over cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) policy.
The modern sanctuary movement traces its roots to a faith-based activism aimed at protecting Latin American refugees in the 1980’s. Since San Francisco became the first city to enact sanctuary city policies in 1989, the practice has spread throughout the country. Today, there are over 600 counties coded by ICE as “sanctuary jurisdictions.” And, despite highly publicized cases of violence in sanctuary cities and a grotesque new federal initiative to turn instances of violence perpetrated by undocumented people into anti-immigrant propaganda, empirical research into sanctuary cities actually shows they are safer and more economically successful than non-sanctuary peers. So, in summary, sanctuary cities actually make for a safer, wealthier, and more morally just society. That sure seems worth fighting for.
D.C. can trace a history of informal sanctuary city policies going back over 20 years, but it wasn’t until 2011 (as the Obama administration was ramping up deportation to record levels) that the District put its first official policy on the books barring law enforcement from requesting immigration status during questioning or arrests. And, in the face of threats from the current administration, community members are demanding a strong commitment to sanctuary city principles from Mayor Muriel Bowser.
Shortly after the November election, Bowser was very publicly confronted by a large crowd at the Mt. Pleasant Library demanding stronger reaffirmation of the District’s sanctuary city status. It did not go well for the Mayor. Since then, thanks to effective pressure and consistent mobilization (and despite hand wringing from The Washington Post’s Editorial Board), the city has taken concrete steps affirming its commitment to protecting citizens despite risks to city revenue. Bowser has repeatedly made public statements supporting sanctuary city status and the city has created a $500,000 fund to help defend the city’s estimated 25,000 undocumented population from potential deportation and other legal challenges.
These are only small steps in the right direction, but they are hard won by D.C.’s vibrant communities of documented and undocumented immigrants. With 70,000 immigrants living in the District, and a total immigrant workforce of over 215,000 (over a quarter of the city’s workforce) drawn from around the DMV, it’s easy to see how solidarity and organization can help flex some political muscle. A prime example came in February’s “Day Without Immigrants” strike, when thousands in D.C. joined in the national action that saw dozens of restaurants and schools around the District shut down for a day in protest of the Trump administration’s attacks on the undocumented and sanctuary cities.
That day was an inspirational show of force in the face of adversity and, like so many of the mobilizing efforts since the election of Donald Trump, more likely to be a starting point than an end to the resistance needed to fight against his administration’s cruel policies.
So what can you do to learn more and get involved?
Check out these local organizations
DC Jobs with Justice (Solidarity Squads)
Read and listen to learn more
Tropics of Meta: A Brief History of Sanctuary Cities
Scholars Strategy Network No Jargon Podcast: Sanctuary City Limits
Indivisible Guide: Response to Immigration Raids and other Attacks Against Immigrants and Refugees
Follow Square 1 on iTunes, SoundCloud, and Twitter!
