Sanctuary Cities and Federal Enforcement: Unpacking the Dynamics of Migrant Settlement and Local Resistance

• In Event: The Deportation Regime in the Trump 2.0 Presidency

Abstract

This paper examines the real-world impact of sanctuary city policies using quantitative data from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR). While sanctuary jurisdictions are often portrayed as obstructing federal immigration enforcement, our analysis finds that ICE activity—measured by detainer requests, arrests, and removals—continues largely unimpeded within sanctuary cities. The analysis reveals that ICE activity, as measured by detainer requests, arrests, and removals, proceeds significantly unhindered within sanctuary cities, even though sanctuary jurisdictions are frequently depicted as impeding federal immigration enforcement. The study also documents a measurable influx of migrants into sanctuary jurisdictions, suggesting that policy which provides positive treatment for migrants can shape decision-making. The political narrative surrounding sanctuary cities as havens for criminals is complicated by these findings, which demonstrate that although they do not protect these migrants from federal enforcement, they are vital sites of support and relative stability for communities of undocumented people. By emphasizing the potential and constraints of local resistance within the larger immigration enforcement system, the paper advances the field of crimmigration studies.

Author

• Edwin Grimsley, Baruch College