what is a sanctuary city

A sanctuary city is a municipality that limits or denies its cooperation with the national government in enforcing immigration law. Leaders of sanctuary cities say they want to reduce fear of deportation among undocumented immigrants and keep residents safe. In the United States, the term "sanctuary city" originated in 1985 in San Francisco, which passed a resolution that prohibited the use of city funds and resources to assist federal immigration enforcement. As of 2018, more than 560 cities, states, and counties in the US considered themselves sanctuaries. In Europe, the term "sanctuary city" refers to cities that are committed to welcoming refugees and asylum seekers. At a high level, sanctuary cities generally do not ask about or report the immigration status of people they come into contact with, and they typically refuse requests from federal immigration authorities to detain undocumented immigrants apprehended for low-level offenses.