Introduction
California’s sanctuary state status has created a stark divide between those in support of undocumented immigrants and those against them. Those against California’s sanctuary state status see this legislation as an overreach that infringes on their individual liberties and disregards federal laws. A growing number of California’s cities and counties have filed multiple lawsuits against the state. California’s sanctuary state status has become national news and provoked unnecessary attention from the Trump’s Administration. At the core of the issue is the notion of sanctuary state status. Both the left and the right use this status as a symbol to frame and perpetuate their political agendas. In doing so, those in support …show more content…
For instance, during the 1940’s in response to a shortage of workers caused by World War II, the federal government actively recruited Mexican immigrants through the Bracero program (Mandeel, 2001). Most recently, the political climate left by the employment woes of the great recession has festered an anti-immigrant movement that pushed Donald Trump to the presidency and continues to influence and motivate his agenda. In contrast, California has had a long history of supporting immigrant communities. The city of San Francisco adopted a sanctuary policy in the early 1980’s, which prevented Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents from entering county jails and reviewing booking logs (Lagos, 2017). In 2014, California passed the Trust Act, which limits the use of immigration hold requests in local jails. Most recently, California pushed the political agenda on immigration by becoming a “sanctuary state” through the passage of the California Values Act. The bill sets a legal standard for non-cooperation between California law enforcement and federal immigration officers. In response to the passage of the California Values Act, the Trump Administration filed multiple lawsuits against California, Governor Brown, and Attorney General Becerra. At least 14 California cities and two counties have joined the federal government in these lawsuits …show more content…
Supporters of sanctuary status argue that anti-immigrant policies hurt immigrant communities by breaking up families and diminishing the trust these communities have with local law enforcement. Those against sanctuary status contend that these policies empower criminals and disregard federal immigration laws. Both sides frame the issue strategically to garner public support and gain political mobility. Proponents of sanctuary status point to the achievements of dreamers and use this to affirm the need for sanctuary status. Opponents see the sanctuary system as flawed and blame it for the killing of Kathryn Steinle, who was accidentally shot by an undocumented immigrant that had been arrested multiple times but was released under San Francisco’s sanctuary
California’s sanctuary state status has created a stark divide between those in support of undocumented immigrants and those against them. Those against California’s sanctuary state status see this legislation as an overreach that infringes on their individual liberties and disregards federal laws. A growing number of California’s cities and counties have filed multiple lawsuits against the state. California’s sanctuary state status has become national news and provoked unnecessary attention from the Trump’s Administration. At the core of the issue is the notion of sanctuary state status. Both the left and the right use this status as a symbol to frame and perpetuate their political agendas. In doing so, those in support …show more content…
For instance, during the 1940’s in response to a shortage of workers caused by World War II, the federal government actively recruited Mexican immigrants through the Bracero program (Mandeel, 2001). Most recently, the political climate left by the employment woes of the great recession has festered an anti-immigrant movement that pushed Donald Trump to the presidency and continues to influence and motivate his agenda. In contrast, California has had a long history of supporting immigrant communities. The city of San Francisco adopted a sanctuary policy in the early 1980’s, which prevented Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents from entering county jails and reviewing booking logs (Lagos, 2017). In 2014, California passed the Trust Act, which limits the use of immigration hold requests in local jails. Most recently, California pushed the political agenda on immigration by becoming a “sanctuary state” through the passage of the California Values Act. The bill sets a legal standard for non-cooperation between California law enforcement and federal immigration officers. In response to the passage of the California Values Act, the Trump Administration filed multiple lawsuits against California, Governor Brown, and Attorney General Becerra. At least 14 California cities and two counties have joined the federal government in these lawsuits …show more content…
Supporters of sanctuary status argue that anti-immigrant policies hurt immigrant communities by breaking up families and diminishing the trust these communities have with local law enforcement. Those against sanctuary status contend that these policies empower criminals and disregard federal immigration laws. Both sides frame the issue strategically to garner public support and gain political mobility. Proponents of sanctuary status point to the achievements of dreamers and use this to affirm the need for sanctuary status. Opponents see the sanctuary system as flawed and blame it for the killing of Kathryn Steinle, who was accidentally shot by an undocumented immigrant that had been arrested multiple times but was released under San Francisco’s sanctuary