How sanctuary cities were formed in the 1980s to care for Central American refugees fleeing U.S. proxy wars

By Laura Madokoro, Associate Professor of History, Carleton University

Sanctuary cities in the United States, which limit local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement, have drawn the ire of Donald Trump during both of his administrations.

Border czar Tom Homan said in July 2025 that the Trump administration would target sanctuary cities across the country and “flood the zone” with agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to pursue deportation goals.

I am a historian of migration. I have found that the concept of sanctuary takes many forms, from gestures of kindness and advocacy to more formal approaches such as churches protecting migrants at risk of arrest and deportation.

In the U.S., sanctuary city policies have historically been designed to support undocument