Could sanctuary cities be a solution to national isolation? An international analysis of the future of open societies.
While many countries are closing their borders and governments are adopting isolationist policies, wars, environmental destruction and state-sponsored violence are forcing increasing numbers of people around the world to flee. Even a strict border policy can never completely stop migration, but where do refugees go if the state deems them a problem?The answer can be found in those cities that have made practical support for refugees and solidarity with migrants part of their self-image – and thus actively oppose their countries' national policies.
These cities provide assistance regardless of origin or residence status, issue identification cards to everyone who wishes to remain in the city, provide support in legal matters, and protect against police violence. There are cities of this type on almost every continent; They are called safe havens, protection cities, or welcoming cities.Volker Heinz conducted research in Chicago, Kampala, Sheffield, and Palermo, as well as Bremen, Berlin, and Zurich: What are the concrete implications of the promise of protection for people without legal residency? Is this self-image of cities sustainable or just a moral wave? Is a new concept of urban freedom crystallizing here? And what happens when cities come under direct attack from the state – as observed recently in the USA, where Donald Trump has made the fight against sanctuary cities a political battleground?…
