Sanctuary Movements

Abstract

Contemporary sanctuary movements generally aim to defend and expand the rights of immigrants in a precarious situation – most notably asylum seekers, refugees, and the undocumented – in reaction to national policies and practices that produce exclusion in the first place. The “sanctuary” idea is rooted in the tradition of assorted religions of offering protection to fugitives in sacred sites. Sanctuary movements of our time, too, often draw inspiration from religious precepts and are forged by faith‐based organizations. Yet their activists may also subscribe to secular tenets and causes, including anti‐racism, civil rights, humanitarianism, feminism, and socialism. Also, while sanctuary movements often originate in places of worship as inviolable “safe havens” for those persecuted, they typically operate on an urban scale. Scholars and activists have, in fact, made the case for the city as an alternative locus of membership that is inclusive of any inhabitants, regardless of their legal status. This substantive, grassroots‐type of urban citizenship challenges the formal monopoly of nation‐states over immigration and citizenship. Because of their urban character and insurgent flair, sanctuary movements can be subsumed into broader struggles for the “right to the city.”