Understanding "Sanctuary Cities"

74 Pages Posted: 2 Oct 2017 Last revised: 11 Jan 2021

See all articles by Christopher N. Lasch

Christopher N. Lasch

University of Denver Sturm College of Law

Linus Chan

University of Minnesota School of Law - Center for New Americans

Ingrid V. Eagly

University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) - School of Law; University of Oxford - Border Criminologies

Dina Francesca Haynes

New England Law | Boston

Annie Lai

University of California, Irvine School of Law

Elizabeth McCormick

The University of Tulsa College of Law

Juliet P. Stumpf

Lewis & Clark College Paul L Boley Library

Date Written: September 29, 2017

Abstract

In the wake of President Trump’s election, a growing number of local jurisdictions around the country have sought to disentangle their criminal justice apparatus from federal immigration enforcement efforts. These localities have embraced a series of reforms that attempt to ensure immigrants are not deported when they come into contact with the criminal justice system. The Trump administration has labeled these jurisdictions “sanctuary cities” and vowed to “end” them by, among other things, attempting to cut off their federal funding.

This Article is a collaborative project authored by law professors specializing in the intersection between immigration and criminal law. In it, we set forth the central features of the Trump administration’s mass deportation plans and its campaign to “crack down” on sanctuary cities. We then outline the diverse ways in which localities have sought to protect their residents by refusing to participate in the Trump immigration agenda. Such initiatives include declining to honor immigration detainers, precluding participation in joint operations with the federal government, and preventing immigration agents from accessing local jails. Finally, we analyze the legal and policy justifications that local jurisdictions have advanced. Our examination reveals important insights for how sanctuary cities are understood and preserved in the age of Trump.

Keywords: immigration, crimmigration, sanctuary, federalism

Suggested Citation

Lasch, Christopher N. and Chan, Linus and Eagly, Ingrid V. and Haynes, Dina Francesca and Lai, Annie and McCormick, Elizabeth and Stumpf, Juliet P., Understanding "Sanctuary Cities" (September 29, 2017). Boston College Law Review, Vol. 59 (2018), UCLA School of Law, Public Law Research Paper No. 17-33, New England Law | Boston Research Paper No. 18-02, Criminal Justice, Borders and Citizenship Research Paper No. 3045527, U Denver Legal Studies Research Paper No. 18-06, UC Irvine School of Law Research Paper No. 2018-44, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3045527

Christopher N. Lasch (Contact Author)

University of Denver Sturm College of Law ( email )

2255 E. Evans Avenue
Denver, CO 80208
United States
303-871-6368 (Phone)

Linus Chan

University of Minnesota School of Law - Center for New Americans ( email )

229 19th Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 55455
United States

Ingrid V. Eagly

University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) - School of Law ( email )

385 Charles E. Young Dr. East
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1476
United States

University of Oxford - Border Criminologies ( email )

Manor Road Building
Manor Rd
Oxford, OX1 3UQ
United Kingdom

Dina Francesca Haynes

New England Law | Boston ( email )

154 Stuart St.
Boston, MA 02116

Annie Lai

University of California, Irvine School of Law ( email )

401 E. Peltason Dr.
Ste. 1000
Irvine, CA 92697-1000
United States

Elizabeth McCormick

The University of Tulsa College of Law ( email )

600 South College
Tulsa, OK 74104
United States

Juliet P. Stumpf

Lewis & Clark College Paul L Boley Library ( email )

10015 S.W. Terwilliger Blvd.
Portland, OR 97219
United States

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