Sanctuary City: City and Business Community

sanctuary city: The City Council voted 5-2 to reverse course just nine days after unanimously deciding to call Lansing a sanctuary, according to The Chronicle Herald. The term sanctuary city has no legal definition and varies in application, but it generally refers to jurisdictions that do not co-operate with U.S. immigration officials. Michigan's capital on Wednesday reversed a decision to call itself a sanctuary city that protects immigrants, bowing to pressure from a business community concerned that the term would draw unwanted attention to Lansing from President Donald Trump's administration and cost the city federal funding. Under Lansing policy set out last week in an order from Mayor Virg Bernero that stays in effect, employees cannot ask about immigration status, except as required by U.S. or Michigan law or a court order. It is not the two words that make this a sanctuary city. Police also are prohibited from holding immigrants for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement unless federal authorities have a judicial warrant. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.