Justice
The Rapid Rise of the ‘Anti-Sanctuary’ City
A new report by a government watchdog finds that a controversial program that allows local police to participate in immigration enforcement is spreading—but without proper training and oversight.
In January of 2017, there were 36 so-called “anti-sanctuary” cities in the United States—these are local jurisdictions that agree to have their local law enforcement act like immigration officers in jails and in the field. Today there are 78.
But this rapid expansion over the last year and a half has been accompanied by a lack of training and oversight, according to a new report by the Office of Inspector General (OIG) of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). And that could open the door for abuses, due process violations, and, potentially, racial profiling of Latinos.