November 2016 Philadelphia Chapter of Pax Christi U.S.A.
Sanctuary Cities
In the last year Sanctuary Cities have been under constant attack. Donald Trump, US Senator Pat Toomey and PA State Representative Martina White have all made Sanctuary Cities central themes in their election, using the vague name to stir up fear, racism and xenophobia as they paint a picture of havens for brown and lawless immigrants.
But it is not only Republicans attacking Sanctuary Cities. Under the Obama Administration, Secretary Jeh Johnson of the Department of Homeland Security has been personally meeting with mayors around the country to pressure them to give up their Sanctuary City policies. This is what led former Mayor Nutter to reverse Philadelphia's policy two weeks before he left office. As a reward Nutter was appointed to a DHS Board after his term as Mayor ended. Fortunately, Mayor Kenney re- instated the policy on his first day in office and has stood firm on the policy ever since.
The reality is that Sanctuary Cities make a big difference to a lot of people in Philadelphia and across the country. Philadelphia has one of the best policies in the country, and there are about 300 cities, municipalities and counties across the nation that have some type of policy blocking ICE access to immigrants in police custody. Half of the counties in PA have a policy. The wave of new Sanctuary Cities two years ago was a huge victory. They have reduced deportations in Philadelphia and in the nation by blocking a major access point of ICE. This has kept families together. It has improved trust between the immigrant community and the police and the city. This mitigates some of the daily fear people in the immigrant community face, and it has allowed people to grow and thrive. For example, two core leaders at New Sanctuary Movement own a small street food business. Before the policy, they sold food out of a cooler and shopping cart, and were constantly scared whenever a police officer drove by. After the policy, they trust the police and the city, and have now registered their business, bought a food cart and hired another worker. This policy has allowed them to grow their business, which in turn allows all of Philadelphia to grow and thrive.
Philadelphia passed the best policy in the country because it blocks all collaboration, even if a person has been convicted of a serious crime. This means they continue in the criminal justice system, but are not handed over to ICE. Philly’s policy upholds a belief that all people are children of God and deserving of dignity, forgiveness and love regardless of criminal background. The campaign in Philly to get such a strong policy helped move the national conversation on this issue.
There is something unsettling about the vilifying of Sanctuary Cities, a beautiful and powerful concept. Sanctuary is woven into our faith traditions and some of the best moments in our history.
In Numbers 35, God gives Moses and the Israelites the laws to govern their new community. One of them is the idea of Sanctuary Cities, or cities of refuge: "Then the Lord said to Moses: 'Speak to the Israelites and say to them: When you cross the Jordan into Canaan, select some towns to be your cities of refuge, to which a person who has killed someone accidentally may flee. They will be places of refuge from the avenger, so that anyone accused of murder may not die before they stand trial before the assembly.'”
Until the 17th Century, fugitives in England could seek sanctuary in a church as protection from prosecution. During the War of the Roses, if someone ended up behind enemy lines, they could take Sanctuary in a church until they could safely exit. In the US, congregations were part of the Underground Railroad, providing sanctuary to African Americans escaping slavery. During the Vietnam War, conscientious objectors took Sanctuary in congregations and the city of Berkley to refuse to return
to war. In the 1980's, refugees from Guatemala and El Salvador fleeing violent regimes took Sanctuary in congregations across the US to challenge the US's support of the regimes. In 2006 and 2014, the rise of anti-immigrant legislation and increased deportations led people to defy immigration law and take Sanctuary in congregations in Philadelphia and across the country. This lifted up the injustice of the current law and modeled how we should be opening our doors as a city and country. Sanctuary has taken different forms throughout history, but has consistently been a safeguard for those trapped between our imperfect and often unjust human laws and the law of God.
Today’s Sanctuary Cities are slightly different than these examples, but carry the central spirit. They do not give absolute refuge to immigrants. ICE still has an office in Philadelphia and still conducts home raids, dragging away family members to deportation. But Sanctuary Cities do prevent local law enforcement from cooperating with ICE. This offers some protection from the harsh punishment of deportation, the permanent separation from your family. It also offers some protection from persecution, a word I do not use lightly. NSM's immigrant members consistently use persecution to describe their situation. And they send a strong message that immigrants are welcome in a time of national anti-immigrant fervor.
I think there is something deeper here at risk in this debate. The first mention of Sanctuary in the Bible is in Exodus 25 when God tells the people to make a Sanctuary where God will dwell. It is a holy space where we are in the presence of God. Remembering the essence of this word speaks to the deeper spirit and potential of Sanctuary Cities. At their best, they extend the boundaries of this sacred space and claim this city as holy ground. When we are standing on holy ground, in the presence of God and aware of the powerful tradition we are part of, we can fully live out the call to welcome the stranger, love our neighbor and do justice.
Peter Pedemonti,
Director
