Re-post Sept. 1, 2015

 

From 9/11 Commission hearings:

 

LEHMAN: "Were you aware that it was the US government established policy not to question or oppose the sanctuary policies of New York, Los Angeles, Houston, Chicago, San Diego for political reasons, which policy in those cities prohibited the local police from cooperating at all with federal immigration authorities?"

 

CONDOLEEZA RICE: "I do not believe I was aware of that."

Sanctuary Cities: What are they?

 

By Steve Salvi (Revised 11-11-07)

 

Despite a 1996 federal law [the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act ( IIRIRA )] that requires local governments to cooperate with Department of Homeland Security's Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), many large urban cities (and some small) have adopted so-called "sanctuary policies." Generally, sanctuary policies instruct city employees not to notify the federal government of the presence of illegal aliens living in their communities. The policies also end the distinction between legal and illegal immigration--so illegal aliens often benefit from city services too.

 

A formal sanctuary policy is a written policy that may have been passed by a local government body in the form of a resolution, ordinance, or administrative action--general or special orders, or departmental policies. Formal sanctuary cities are the easiest to identify since their actions to become a sanctuary city are public record. Click here to read one city's (Tulsa, OK) police department policy.

 

An informal sanctuary policy is a policy that does not exist on paper but none-the-less is carried out by government workers (administrative, service, or safety). An informal sanctuary policy is more difficult to document, since no obvious public record exists. Since no public records are available, a local government's (e.g., township, village, or city) actions in regards to interacting with illegal aliens will evidence its "unwritten" policy regarding illegal aliens. Statements and actions by public officials, including safety forces, can indicate what is the unwritten policy.

 

News reports can also shed light on what a local government unwritten policies. For example, did the police department contact ICE after determining that a driver involved in a misdemeanor traffic stop was an illegal alien or was the driver let go with no call to ICE? Did a mayor of a town hire illegal alien day laborers for a city project? Does a mayor complain to the press that illegal aliens workers were arrested by ICE? These are all good indicators that an informal (unwritten) sanctuary policy exists.

 

One justification of creating sanctuary cities is often under the guise of protecting "immigrant rights." But illegal aliens are not immigrants -- immigrants come to the US legally, and maintain their legal presence. When a person is illegally smuggled into the U.S. or violates their visa restrictions -- he/she is not an immigrant or visitor, but an illegal alien subject to deportation.

 

Why do public officials pass sanctuary laws or establish unwritten "don't ask--don't tell" policies? There are a variety of reasons: To appease illegal immigration support groups; buckling to political pressure from illegal alien support groups who lobby local governments to implement formal or informal sanctuary policies; political contributions and support at election time; complacency, ignorance, or "don't care" attitudes; and purposeful resistance to existing US immigration law based upon an open-border political philosophy that serves their economic, political, and cultural ethnocentric interests.

 

Sanctuary policies--official or otherwise, result in safe havens for illegal aliens and potential terrorists. Sanctuary policies allow criminal aliens to avoid deportation because they prevent local police from reporting alien criminals to ICE. Visit the Victims of Illegal Aliens Memorial and learn about some terrible consequences sanctuary policies and lax enforcement have had on American families.

 

What can you do?--Demand change! Call your members of Congress (House and Senate) and ask for aggressive interior enforcement of US immigration laws. At the state and local level, ask your public officials what your community's policies are in regards to illegal aliens. If your local government or state has an official or unofficial sanctuary policies, ask that they be repealed or changed.

 

Might your city have a written or "unwritten" sanctuary policy? First, read the disclaimer below and then view the list below.

 

List of US Sanctuary Cities*

 

*Note: Not all listings have been independently confirmed by OJJPAC. If you believe a city should not be listed, please send an email, and OJJPAC will make note of the dispute and attempt to verify. Dates represent when a city was added to the list, not when it became or allegedly became a sanctuary city. Other notations may indicate the source of information. Cities without a date were added prior to May, 2007. Some sanctuary cities may not have yet been identified and therefore not listed here. You are encouraged to perform additional research regarding the status of your own city. The presence of illegal aliens in your city does not necessarily indicate that your city is a sanctuary city.

 

Last updated: 11-12-07

          State/City

• Alaska

• Anchorage        (6/13/07 Congressional Research Service)
• Fairbanks          (6/13/07 Congressional Research Service, also see dispute resolution note below) 

  Arizona

• Chandler, AZ   (Added 5/30/07, Congressional Research Service Report, 2006 )

• Phoenix, AZ

  California

• Bell Gardens, CA
• City of Industry, CA
• City of Commerce, CA
• Cypress, CA
• Davis CA
• Downey, CA
• Fresno, CA            (6/13/07 Congressional Research Service)
• Lakewood, CA 
• Los Angeles, CA   (Congressional Research Service)
• Long Beach, CA
• Lynwood, CA
• Maywood, CA
• Montebello, CA
• National City, CA
• Norwalk, CA
• Oakland, CA                 (Added 8-27-07. Source: 4/25/07 story by KCBS 740 AM. Link here.)
• Paramount, CA
• Pico Rivera, CA
• So. Gate, CA
• San Bernardino, Ca.      (Added 6/7/07, reader submitted)
• San Diego, CA              (Congressional Research Service)
• Santa Cruz, CA             (Added 5/30/07, documented by KSBW news)
• San Francisco, CA        (Congressional Research Service)
• San Jose, CA                (6/13/07 Congressional Research Service)
•  Sonoma County, CA    (Congressional Research Service)
• Tucson, CA                   (Added 11-12-07, Source: 11-11-07 story by Brady McCombs, Arizona Daily Star. See note below.)
• Vernon, CA
• Watsonville, CA         (Added 5/30/07, documented by KSBW news)
• Wilmington, CA

          Colorado

• Aurora, CO
• Commerce City, CO
• Denver, CO                     (Congressional Research Service)
• Durango, CO                   (6/13/07 Congressional Research Service)
• Federal Heights, CO
• Fort Collins CO
• Lafayette, CO                 (Added 6/3/07, documented by reader)
• Thornton, CO
• Westminster, CO

  Connecticut

• New Haven, CT                (Added 6/4/07.  TV News 8: City council votes 25-1 to issue ID cards to illegals)

• Springfield CT (Disputed)

Florida

• DeLeon Springs, FL

• Deltona, Fl 

• Miami, FL

•  Georgia
• Dalton, GA        (Added 5/30/07. 6/18/07 Listing disputed as inaccurate by the City of Dalton, GA. Currently being researched. )

  Illinois

• Chicago, IL        (Congressional Research Service)
• Cicero, IL          (6/13/07 Congressional Research Service)
• Evanston, IL       (6/13/07 Congressional Research Service)

  Massachusetts

• Cambridge, Mass.  (Source: Boston Globe. First passed resolution in 1985)
• Chelsea, Mass.    (Added: 8-14-07 Source: Chelsea government website with text of sanctuary policy.)
• Orleans, Mass.        (6/13/07 Congressional Research Service)

  Maine

• Portland    (Added 5/31/07 Note: Maine resident reported that Portland city council passed sanctuary legislation)
• State of Maine   (Added 5/31/07 Note: Maine resident reported that the governor signed a sanctuary executive order)

  Maryland

• Baltimore, MD               (Congressional Research Service)     
• Gaithersburg, MD
• Takoma Park, MD      (Reported that City ordinance passed some 20 years ago; Congressional Research Service)

  Michigan

• Ann Arbor, MI      (6/13/07 Congressional Research Service)       

• Detroit, MI            (6/13/07 Congressional Research Service)

  Minnesota

• Minneapolis, MN    (Congressional Research Service)
• St. Paul, MN
• Worthington, MN      (Added 5-30-07 Note: This is where a Swift plant was raided by ICE in December, 2006)

  Nevada

• Reno                        (Added 5-31-07)

  New Jersey

• Camden, NJ
• Hightstown, NJ           (Added 5-30-07)
• Jersey City, NJ
• Newark, NJ                (Added 6-3-07)
• North Bergen, NJ
• Trenton, NJ
• Union City, NJ
• West New York, NJ

  New Mexico

• Albuquerque, NM            (6/13/07 Congressional Research Service; 8-14-07 KOB-TV 4 Eyewitness News report)

• Rio Ariba County, NM    (6/13/07 Congressional Research Service)

• Santa Fe, NM                 (6/13/07 Congressional Research Service)

  New York

• Bay Shore, NY
• Brentwood, NY
• Central Islip, NY
• Farmingville, NY
• New York City, NY
• Riverhead, NY
• Shirly/Mastic, NY
• Spring Valley Village, NY  (Added 7-25-07)
• Uniondale, NY
• Westbury, NY

  North Carolina

• Carrboro, NC               (Added 11-12-07 Source: Towns differ on illegal aliens by Patrick Winn, The News & Observer)

• Chapel Hill, NC            (Added 11-12-07 Source: Towns differ on illegal aliens by Patrick Winn, The News & Observer)

• Charlotte, NC
• Durham, NC                 (6/13/07 Congressional Research Service)
• Raleigh
• Winston-Salem

  Ohio

• Columbus, OH        (7/5/07 Source: 5/10/07 Columbus Dispatch article stating illegal aliens in misdemeanor cases are not reported to ICE) 

• Painesville, OH        (7-19-07 Source: 7-18-07 Cleveland Scene article) [8-9-07 Disputed by Painesville's City Manager, under review. 11-11-07 OJJPAC Note: City appears to be reassessing its policies.  It is OJJPAC's hope that Painesville can be removed from the list soon.  

  Oklahoma

• Oklahoma City (de facto)  

• Tulsa                (6-3-07 Note: Tulsa city council is discussing changing its sanctuary policy.)                

  Oregon

• State of Oregon *       (8-9-07 Congressional Research Service)  *(See note below)

• Ashland, OR               (8-9-07 Congressional Research Service)
• Gaston, OR                (8-9-07 Congressional Research Service)
• Marion County, OR    (8-9-07 Congressional Research Service)
• Portland, OR

  Texas

• Austin, TX             (Congressional Research Service)
• Baytown, TX        (6-13-07 Local reader observation)
• Brownsville, TX
• Channelview, TX  (6-13-07 Local reader observation)
• Denton, TX
• Dallas, TX
• El Cenizo, TX      (6-13-07 Congressional Research Service)
• Ft.Worth, TX
• Houston, TX        (Congressional Research Service)
• Katy, TX             (Congressional Research Service)
• Laredo, TX
• Mcallen, TX
• Port Arthur, TX  (6-13-07 Reader/resident observation)

Utah

• Provo, UT

• Salt Lake City, UT

  Virginia

• Fairfax County, VA

• Virginia Beach, VA   (Added 6/3/07)

Washington

• Seattle, WA        (Added 5/30/07; Congressional Research Service)

Wisconsin

• Madison, WI        (Congressional Research Service)

Wyoming

• Jackson Hole, WY

Washington, D.C.

Cities under review

 

Note: An OJJPAC review has concluded that false information appears to have been submitted to OJJPAC.org regarding the listing of Sanford, FL.  As a result Sanford, FL is being removed from the sanctuary city list.  The city of Sanford will have the opportunity to submit its policy towards illegal aliens and OJJPAC.org will prominently post it on OJJPAC.org.

Diamond Bar, CA   (6/26/07 Disputed by city. Currently being researched to verify.)

Bridgeton, NJ            (Added 6-3-07) [7-27-07 Disputed by a reputed farm worker advocate, see note below.] 

Peekskill, NY      [Disputed, being researched]

San Antonio, TX  [Note: The Sanctuary status of San Antonio is disputed, being researched.]

Watch List Cities (Cities considering sanctuary policies) Note: This is a new list started 8-14-07

• Lexington, KY            (Source: 11-12-07 Submitted by local resident who claims it is a sanctuary city)            
• Worcester, MASS    (Source: 8-14-07 Worcester Telegram)

Sanctuary Cities, USA: Additional Notes

Tucson, Arizona

Tucson Arizona had been added to the sanctuary city list because the Tucson police have instituted a new policy which prevents their officers from calling Immigration and Customs Enforcement to schools and churches. 

Fairbanks, Alaska

The Mayor of Fairbanks disputes the listing. However, OJJPAC has verified the listing of Fairbanks, Alaska, as having a sanctuary policy by the Congressional Research Service in an 2005 report. OJJPAC has requested that the city administration forward its policy demonstrating that it is not a sanctuary city--but none has been forwarded as of 8-9-07.

State of Oregon

According to a CRS report (October, 2005), Oregon passed a law in 1987 that prohibits local and state law enforcement from using state resources for locating and capturing illegal aliens.  Law enforcement was permitted [but not required] to "exchange information" with federal immigration agents if an illegal alien was arrested for a crime. 

 Bridgeton, NJ           7-27-07 Disputed by a reputed farm worker advocate who sent me this email:

"I just wanted to point out an inaccuracy on your website's listing of sanctuary cities.  You have Bridgeton, NJ listed as a sanctuary city, and indeed it is most definitely not.  I work with CATA - The Farmworkers' Support committee (www.cata-farmworkers.org) and we have an organized group of membership in this town.  One of our goals is working towards making Bridgeton an sanctuary city, but the local government is quite unfriendly towards the immigrant population, and the mayor has even hinted at wanting to implement a Hazleton type of ordinance (luckily, given yesterday's legal decision, that won't be happening)."

Columbus, OH

The Columbus Dispatch [Ohio] wrote:

"The police didn't contact immigration authorities concerning those who were determined to be undocumented, Booth said. Authorities say that's typical when it comes to misdemeanor charges."  [Columbus, Ohio]

Painesville, OH

Cleveland Scene (7-18-07) quotes the Painesville Police Chief Gary Smith:

***He [Police Chief Gary Smith] has no qualms about laying out his indifference in plain English: "We don't care what your [immigration] status is." ***

Oklahoma City, OK

One reader wrote about Oklahoma City:

Research Resources (incomplete listing)

• Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress
• CRS Report for Congress, Enforcing Immigration Law: The Role of State and Local Law Enorcement, Updated August 14, 2006

www.ojjpac.org/sanctuary.asp