Dakota Beacon

Why the fuss about sanctuary cities? Read on.

As defined, sanctuary cities are areas where local authorities implement policies that restrict cooperation with federal immigration laws and enforcement efforts. These policies instruct city employees and law enforcement not to inquire about the immigration status of criminal suspects or to honor detainer requests from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Over 200 cities, counties, and states nationwide have adopted sanctuary policies.

A bit of context helps. Secular churches (churches focusing less on traditional Christian beliefs and more on community, ethics, or culture) play fast and free with scripture to rationalize their sanctuary assertions. In the Biblical book of Exodus Chapter 15 sanctuary refers to a holy place where the Lord lives. It can also mean a place of refuge. Following their exodus from Egypt God commanded His people to set up “cities of refuge” where those suspected of unintentional manslaughter could flee while awaiting trial. Murderers, on the other hand (those who killed intentionally with malice) were given no quarter.

Coming forward to the present, opponents of sanctuary policies insist that sanctuary policies endanger local communities by shielding criminals from deportation and releasing them back into the community. Officials say that not enforcing federal law results in lawlessness.

On the other hand, proponents of sanctuary policies assert that these policies balance public safety with civil rights. Sanctuary raises confidence within immigrant communities (legal and illegal) to encourage reporting of crime without fear of immigration prosecution.

And with compelling cause, federal law enforcers criticize sanctuary cities and states as "sanctuary for criminals." They prioritize apprehending criminal illegal aliens (a redundant term) in these areas. The Department of Justice has set up a working group to investigate and challenge state and local laws inconsistent with federal immigration authority.

Undoubtedly, the American sanctuary movement rewards criminality and endangers innocent citizens. Its history began in 1971 in Berkeley, California, at the height of the anti-Vietnam protests, when city officials passed resolutions declaring Berkeley a “City of Refuge” for draft dodgers. Eventually, Gus Schultz, a left-wing Berkeley pastor, expanded the idea by declaring his church a safe harbor for asylum seekers fleeing El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala.

Fast forward to 2021, when the Biden administration threw federal immigration law out the window. In effect, under the guise of granting asylum, it supercharged the sanctuary efforts that erased the border and invited anyone into the US who wished to come.

US Customs and Border Patrol conservatively estimate there were more than eight million encounters along the US-Mexico border during the Biden years. Some estimates reach as high as ten million encounters. Migrants arrived from all over Latin America and other countries, with the aid of drug cartel coyotes. All entered the US illegally. Coached by lawyers from so-called non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to make asylum claims, they were then released into the US on their own recognizance and told to appear in court years later to have their asylum claims resolved. The Biden administration even arranged to have illegals flown, at the American taxpayer’s expense, to US cities of their choice.

Thus, what started as a narrow effort to take care of a small number of needy refugees in a single city developed into a sprawling global industry involving NGOs, criminal syndicates, and billions of taxpayer dollars. Every institution involved had either a political or an economic incentive to ensure a never-ending flow of migrants into the US. Forget vetting. Forget filtering out criminals and drug traffickers. Forget only those willing to assimilate should be admitted into our country. An illegal immigration-industrial complex became a self-perpetuating machine.

Notably, the second Trump administration brought back secure borders without which no country can claim to be a country. It also began deporting those who entered illegally during the Biden presidency. But its efforts have been met at every turn with opposition, often violent, even when it comes to deporting the most dangerous illegal immigrants. And much of this opposition is sanctioned by state and city officials enlisted in the sanctuary movement.

As of last year, the US Department of Justice calculated that twelve states and the District of Columbia -- nearly one-quarter of the country -- had become sanctuaries for illegal immigration. More major cities outside of those states including Albuquerque, Boston, New Orleans, Newark, and Philadelphia were named as sanctuary cities. Sanctuary cities, counties, and states across the US now number more than 200.

Properly understood, sanctuary is not characterized by lawlessness, disorder, or misery. Unfortunately, today these are the fruits of bad sanctuary policy. And bad policy typifies the modern sanctuary movement. The result? It erases our borders, erodes our culture, annuls federal laws designed to protect US citizens concluding in needless death and destruction.

Don’t forget. November 3 is coming. Take a legal citizen with you to vote.

Dennis M. Patrick can be contacted at (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).