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Immigration Issue Brief: The Importance of Separation Ordinances

Some local governments have separation ordinances or policies that prohibit the collection of immigration status when not legally required and that prohibit the use of local law enforcement resources in actions carried out solely to detect, arrest, or detain a person based on their immigration status. Law enforcement agencies developed these policies to carefully balance important policing priorities: cooperating with federal immigration authorities where required, conserving state resources to spend on state needs rather than federal programs, and ensuring that everyone living in our communities trusts that they can turn to the police if they are the victims of crime.

Though these policies are sometimes called “sanctuary” policies, these governments are not offering sanctuary from immigration law – residents can still be arrested, detained, and deported by federal law enforcement agents, and local government will participate when legally required to do so. Separation policies are instead about ensuring public safety, the wise stewardship of public resources, and community cohesion.