Tucson is widely credited as the birthplace of the 1980s Sanctuary Movement, an effort by churches to help refugees from Central America and shield them from deportation. Now, voters in Tucson are preparing to vote Tuesday on “Sanctuary City” status in the Old Pueblo.
A group of activists is looking to revive the city's history of aggressively resisting immigration authorities. Voters will decide whether to designate Tucson as Arizona's only sanctuary city, a direct challenge to President Donald Trump and to the anti-illegal immigration law that put a spotlight on the state nearly a decade ago.
Political observers say many in Tucson are eager to send Trump a message that disapproves of his immigration policies.
But even some on the left worry the measure would merely draw the ire of the president and his allies in the state Legislature without improving conditions for migrants.
