What I learned at Sanctuary: A Partnership Between Immigrant & Faith Communities in Asheville. The call to faith communities was to:
1. Provide sanctuary for the most vulnerable (including those who are undocumented, Muslim, Blacks, LGBTQ, Trans folks)
2. If you can’t provide sanctuary, be the people who are supporting those who are providing sanctuary
3. Listen to the immigrant communities and other communities impacted — ask THEM what they need. Tell others what they tell you they need.
Police Chiefs and Sheriffs in others cities have made public commitments to not have their law officials collect data and do the work of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Buncombe county Sheriff and Asheville Police Department have not been explicit or transparent about what their position on immigrants is. They have not been willing to make a formal statement saying that they support immigrant communities, and have been asked.
Core components of what a Sanctuary is now:
1. Sanctuary is now about shared political fate.
2. Sanctuary is not single-issue.
3. Sanctuary can be created through policy and through community.
4. Sanctuary cannot be based in paternalism or a white savior mentality.
5. Sanctuary is no longer about four walls.
6. Sanctuary will require local organizing to converge nationally.
7. Sanctuary will require clarity, courage and spiritual fortitude.