Sanctuary (Cross-Post)
Saturday, May 31, 2025
As legacy media struggle to keep up with the pace of change, Substackers and bloggers of all stripes are stepping up. One of my favorites is attorney R. Andrew Free:
“Andrew Free is an Atlanta-based lawyer, researcher, writer, teacher, advocate, and strategy consultant. He founded #DetentionKills, a transnational abolitionist project formed to support families and communities affected by deaths in DHS custody by organizing people in motion to demand transparency, accountability, and decarceration. He served as class counsel for more than a hundred thousand current and formerly detained immigrant workers challenging involuntary work for unjust pay in ICE detention facilities. He is a 2010 graduate of Vanderbilt University Law School and a 2004 graduate of Kennesaw State University.”
His post yesterday on the theory and practice of “sanctuary” is especially timely, and important. I recomment the entire post, but if you are short on time, here is a highlight:
“In the 1980s, the sanctuary movement was a collective, transnational refusal to pliantly accept the genocidal imperialist interventions in Central America that forced migrants to seek safety from the consequences of U.S. foreign policy in the U.S. interior. Led by believers of all faiths, sanctuary movements resisted political prosecution and ultimately triggered massive changes in U.S. immigration law that protected from deportation and legalized literally millions of displaced people. Stephen Miller’s worst nightmare. … Sanctuary policies are the results of demands made and won by organized communities who envision a better world. They are under attack because they are effective. Local politics is uniquely susceptible to public pressure. So, if you’re reading this and your jurisdiction is on the list, maybe say “Thank You” and tell them you expect them to stay there and not cave to this bush league intimidation.”
Thank you, Andrew, for your research and advocacy.
***