Sanctuary Cities

By: Veronica Perez

Recently there was a new change in command in the United States. We have elected a new president with new theories and new ways to “Make America Great Again.” Recently the president signed several executive orders. For example, he came up with the idea that Mexico will pay for a wall diving the United States and Mexico. He has also planned to cut off all of the funding to Planned Parenthood. However, the president plans to also cut off all of the funding to sanctuary cities. Cutting fundings from sanctuary cities would not be a very efficient  for the president to do. For example, sanctuary cities provide  good skilled workers. They also help to keep diversity, and  immigrants do not cause as much crime as other cities.

Sanctuary cities are made specially to protect immigrants. The cities have vowed to be a safe place where immigrants can find a new home and can feel safe. A sanctuary city is a name given to a city in the United States that follows certain procedures that shelter illegal immigrants. The term is used for cities that do not permit municipal funds or resources to be applied in or enforced in federal immigration laws, in other words they do not really permit ICE to really take extreme actions in deportation when someone commits a minor crime like running a red light. Some states that have these cities are, California, Connecticut, New Mexico, and Colorado. Some of the cities would be, Los Angeles, New York, and our very own Chicago. This cities are the most diverse and they are some of the biggest, if we take away these cities we lose the diversity and we lose the communities in them.

Now you might wonder, what’s is the big deal? Well it’s a big deal because a lot of people depend on these cities. It’s not just immigrants but also companies and the United States economy. However, if the president plans to cuts off federal funding, and if the sanctuary cities do not fall in line, the president is ready to try to shame the cities. According to one of the executive orders he signed on immigration enforcement this week, the White House intends to publicize a comprehensive list of criminal actions committed by immigrants. However, what will determine what a real crime is and what will determine how far the authorities will use their power?

Also, immigrants provide a critical supply of labor and skill, for example, most of the time immigrants are willing to do hard or manual work that most people would not want. They are also participating in our schools and are a part of our labor force. Immigrants are more willing to take advantage of jobs because they know that they need the job for their families. If immigrants  had jobs in their native homes they would not need to put themselves in this situation. If we take away this city’s status, companies will suffer and they will not be able to meet the demands of people.

Overall, if we get rid of the sanctuary cities we will not have a peaceful place for diversity.The United States will not have  enough people working as cheap labor, and lastly the United States will lose a lot of it’s creativity and it will no longer be the best it could be. The president says that he wants to “Make America Great Again”, yet America is great already and we don’t need to take away some of its best cities.