Perspective of Long Time Residents on Sanctuary City Laws

New Research

What are the perspectives of residents in sanctuary cities on the impact of these policies on community safety and cohesion?

Relevance to the Field and Research Approach

Understanding residents' perspectives is important for public administrators in terms of building community trust and being engaged with the public. Insights from residents can inform more responsive policy. There is also a need to evaluate the impact of sanctuary policies on community safety and cohesion. Doing so from the residents' viewpoint allows for a grassroots-level assessment of policy effectiveness, which can in turn help administrators and policymakers refine existing policies so as to better meet community needs.

In terms of social cohesion, it is well known that sanctuary city policies are designed to protect undocumented immigrants and integrate them into the community. Therefore, it is important to know how these policies affect social cohesion and to hear it straight from the horse’s mouth, so to speak—i.e., the public—through interviews and focus groups. This approach can reveal the social impact and any potential areas of tension or solidarity within the community that have resulted.

Interviews and focus groups could focus on policy awareness, social cohesion, and residents' perceptions of safety under sanctuary policies. Safety itself is a big concern, and if residents feel less safe, it can undermine the legitimacy and support for such policies. Conversely, if they feel more secure, it can bolster the policies' standing and even promote wider adoption.

Gathering qualitative data on residents' perspectives would yield valuable evidence that can be used to support or challenge existing policies. This evidence would be very helpful in terms of making informed decisions that respect all the needs of diverse communities.

Thus, to explore residents' perspectives on sanctuary city policies and their impact on community safety and cohesion, a qualitative research approach using semi-structured interviews and focus groups would be effective.

Steps to take would include identifying through strategic sampling diverse participant groups within a sanctuary city, so that representation across different demographics such as age, gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and length of residence in the city are balanced.