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A History of Sanctuary Practices and the Politics of Sanctuary in California

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Sanctuary Regions and the Struggle for Belonging

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Abstract

This chapter provides a general history of sanctuary practices in California, with an emphasis on the development of sanctuary policies across the state. The chapter also provides an overview of some of the most significant legal and political achievement acquired by the undocumented immigrant rights movement, through the California DREAM, and DACA.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    While there are certain norms established that protect sacred spaces from state authority, state power continues to thrive on its capacity to decide upon the exception to these norms (Agamben, 2003; Schmitt, 2007). As such, there have been notable examples of the state intervening to enforce its authority within sacred spaces. See for example, the case of Mohamed Cherfi who sought protection in a Quebec church. In 2004, police authorities forced their way into the church and deported him to the United States (Séguin, 2004).

  2. 2.

    The application for refugee sponsorship to Canada includes form IMM0008 that asks potential refugees similar questions about their history and request that they describe their own trajectory and struggles in their home country. These forms are then used to determine whether or not there are compassionate or humanitarian grounds to grant an individual refugee status.

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Sleiman-Long, Z. (2020). A History of Sanctuary Practices and the Politics of Sanctuary in California. In: Sanctuary Regions and the Struggle for Belonging. Mobility & Politics. Palgrave Pivot, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-44885-1_3

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