Los Angeles city leaders will push Friday to declare the city a “sanctuary” for immigrants, a move that comes after some lawmakers resisted formally using the term despite pressure from local immigration groups. It also suggests creating a local “Human Rights Ordinance” to ensure that immigrants’ legal rights are protected. There is no neat definition of a sanctuary city, but in general, cities that use the name seek to offer political support or practical protections to people who are in the country illegally. San Francisco declared itself a sanctuary city in 1989, and city officials strengthened the stance in 2013 with its “Due Process for All” ordinance. The Republican Party of Los Angeles County said in a statement that it is “disappointed” that the council is considering the sanctuary label.

Source: Los Angeles Times September 07, 2017 23:27 UTC