Sanctuary City: Immigration Stories & Challenges Panel Discussion | SF

Submitted by the Event Organizer

What does it mean to be a Sanctuary City? This panel will explore San Francisco’s commitment to building a diverse culture and providing a safe haven for undocumented and documented immigrants.

Panelists will discuss recent city-level decisions and their practical implications, as well as share immigration stories and challenges.

 Panelists:

• Angela Alioto, Attorney and former Board of Supervisors President, helped author Sanctuary Ordinance
• David Campos, Attorney and former District 9 Board of Supervisors Member
• Saira Hussain, Staff Attorney, Criminal Justice Reform Program at Advancing Justice – Asian Law Caucus
• Laura Polstein, Immigration Senior Staff Attorney, Centro Legal
• Lisa Weissman-Ward, Supervising Attorney and Lecturer at Law, Stanford University

Moderator:

• Leah Price, Immigration Attorney, Tahirih Justice Center

Hosted by the United Democratic Club and San Francisco Vision

San Francisco has a long history as a Sanctuary City. In 1989, San Francisco passed the “City and County of Refuge” Ordinance (also known as the Sanctuary Ordinance) which prohibits City employees from helping Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) with immigration investigations or arrests unless such help is required by federal or state law or a warrant.

It established this ordinance after learning that undocumented victims of domestic violence were not coming forward for fear of deportation. If San Francisco’s sanctuary status was threatened, it would undermine the City’s cooperation with police and send crime underground.

Disclaimer: Please double check event information with the event organizer as events can be canceled, details can change after they are added to our calendar, and errors do occur.