Faith Communities To Declare Churches As Immigrant Sanctuaries
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Several faith communities in Minnesota plan to meet Tuesday to declare their support for immigrants and opposition to policies from President-election Donald Trump that may target them.
The meeting is slated for 10:30 a.m. at Lutheran Church of the Redeemer in St. Paul, according to ISAIAH, a social justice group composed of various religious congregations.
The faith groups plan to declare their places of worship as sanctuaries for immigrants. This comes after Trump threatened to cut off federal funding to sanctuary cities, a designation that would apply to both Minneapolis and St. Paul.
Related: Talking Points: Sanctuary Cities & Trump's Presidency
A sanctuary city is a place where law enforcement won't ask an individual about their immigration status or independently enforce immigration actions.
An estimated 100,000 immigrants live in Minnesota without legal permission.
Since the election, law enforcement agencies in the Twin Cities have sent out messages to immigrant communities, telling them not to be afraid to call if they witness or are a victim of crime.