SF supes unanimously reaffirm city's 35-year commitment to Sanctuary Ordinance

San Francisco has been a sanctuary city since 1989, when it enacted San Francisco Administrative Code Chapter 12H in response to the Reagan Administration's attacks on Central American immigrants. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors on Tuesday voted unanimously to reaffirm the city's 35-year commitment to its "Sanctuary Ordinance,"  amid rising fears connected to Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity in the Bay Area.

ICE operations seemingly targeting undocumented immigrants in San Jose and San Francisco, coupled with the federal government's order allowing immigration agencies to make arrests at "sensitive locations" such as schools and churches, have stoked concern among immigrant communities.

The Board of Supervisors' resolution – introduced by District 9 Supervisor Jackie Fielder – was affirmed the same day as a morning rally in support of the city's immigrant communities that included Mayor Daniel Lurie, Police Chief Bill Scott and District Attorney Brooke Jenkins.

"Factions in this country and this city want to see us go back on our promise to immigrant families that San Francisco is a place where they can provide a better future for their kids," Fielder said. "This resolution affirms that our City is not going back, and that we stand by our immigrant communities no matter who is President."

The backstory:

San Francisco originally passed its "City and County of Refuge" ordinance in 1989 amid the Reagan Administration's refusal to offer sanctuary to numerous Central American refugees who were fleeing repression and war in their home countries.

The ordinance prohibited San Francisco city employees from using city resources to help federal authorities, such as ICE, enforce federal immigration law.

According to the city, the ordinance was adopted in order to "promote public trust and cooperation," as well as to increase public safety by facilitating cooperation between authorities such as police and residents, regardless of their immigration status.

The Source: San Francisco Board of Supervisors, previous KTVU reporting

San FranciscoImmigration