Trump administration officials claim that state and local laws preventing police from participating in federal civil immigration enforcement (sometimes referred to as “sanctuary” policies) make communities more dangerous. But these claims don’t fit the facts.  

The Center for American Progress conducted a nationwide analysis of over 2,000 counties in 2017, finding that crime per capita is significantly lower in sanctuary counties compared to similar non-sanctuary counties. On average, there were 35 fewer crimes committed per 10,000 people in sanctuary counties. These results accord with many other peer-reviewed studies. What’s more, the Center for American Progress report found that sanctuary counties are also more economically prosperous. A 2020 study published by researchers at UC San Diego found that immigrants are less likely to trust local law enforcement if they work with ICE. These studies support the view, long espoused by the ACLU and other supporters of welcoming city policies, that creating a clear boundary between policing and immigration enforcement enhances rather than diminishes community safety. 

In Boston, the city’s Trust Act was signed in August 2014 and amended in 2019. The law prohibits City of Boston officials from using city resources to assist with federal civil immigration enforcement. Recently, the Trump administration and Congressional Republicans have taken aim at Boston and Mayor Michelle Wu, demanding that the city assist with Trump’s plans for mass deportations. Underlying these demands are claims that policies such as Boston’s harm public safety. 

But the facts tell a very different story: FBI and BPD data show crime rates, already declining when the Trust Act passed in 2014, have continued to decline in the nearly 11 years since the legislation became law. Indeed, Boston has reported historic lows in the number of homicides and shootings over the last few years. Both property crime and violent crime, according to FBI Uniform Crime Reporting statistics, have been on the decline since 2005, a decline that continued following the enactment of the Trust Act.  

The data from Boston reflects a trend observed in peer-reviewed studies, with some finding that sanctuary laws actually result in a decrease in crime. Contrary to claims from anti-immigrant officials in Washington, cities across the country would do well to consider Boston a model.