Boulder is seeking to be “sanctuary city”
Leaders act with eye toward Trump administration
Boulder leaders have vowed to put something in writing before Donald Trump’s inauguration in January to show the city’s support for immigrants.
“That seems to be a meaningful goal post to shoot for,” Mayor Suzanne Jones said of the deadline. “A great way to start the new year.”
After a brief discussion last week, the City Council directed the city attorney’s office to return, either Jan 3. or Jan. 17, with an ordinance. Its content isn’t much in question at this point, but it may or may not contain the word “sanctuary.” Trump has threatened to pull federal funding from sanctuary cities.
Councilmen Aaron Brockett and Sam Weaver both were supportive of a sanctuary city label for Boulder.
Brockett said the word would send an important message, “even though I know it has no legal meaning.”
But Councilwoman Mary Young said that Boulder might do better to keep “sanctuary” out of any action it takes so as to at least try to minimize attention from the Trump administration.
She also said that immigration workers she’s spoken to believe that action is more important than words, and that a city calling itself a sanctuary is not as meaningful as some believe. “What matters is that we have the force of law behind it,” Young said. “That we walk the walk was more important to them than talking the talk.”