Cambridge, Mass., Council Declares City a Sanctuary

The Cambridge City Council, after a noisy hearing before 200 proponents of the measure, voted 5 to 4 Monday night to declare the entire city a sanctuary for Latin American refugees.

Under the resolution, city agencies and employees would not cooperate with federal efforts to expel the estimated 5,000 illegal immigrants from El Salvador, Guatemala and Haiti who have fled to this university city of about 95,000 residents.

City Services for All

The resolution would also extend city services to all Cambridge residents, whether or not they are U.S. citizens. Proponents said refugees, worried they will be forced to prove citizenship, may not be seeking medical treatment or education for their children.

City Atty. Russell B. Higbee said that, in his opinion, the vote is not binding, but one of its sponsors, council member David Sullivan, said he thought that it was binding in the sense that it ordered city officials not to cooperate in any way with federal officials.

“It’s a moot issue,” Higbee said. He said that federal immigration officials conduct investigations in the city independently of Cambridge authorities and never have contacted his office for help.

Under the resolution, city employees are to be instructed not to offer information to federal immigration investigators. But they cannot obstruct an investigation or withhold refugees’ records, officials said.

‘Empty Promise’

Cambridge Mayor Leonard Russell, who voted against the resolution, called the proposal an “empty promise” because it cannot give protection for the refugees, only a place to live.

“I cannot vote for something which offers false hopes to these people,” he said.

Among those who testified for the resolution was a Salvadoran refugee who has been living in sanctuary under the pseudonym Estela Ramirez since December at the Old Cambridge Baptist Church, and two other Salvadorans.

Persecution Feared

One purpose of the resolution is to show support for the refugees, who fear political persecution, torture and death if sent back to their native countries, said council member Alice Wolf, who sponsored the measure.

“Many things start at the local level, and we can’t wait for the federal government to come around,” she said. “I believe we have an obligation to shelter people who are being persecuted in other countries.”

Berkeley, Calif., and St. Paul, Minn., have approved similar measures in response to Administration efforts to deport illegal aliens.