Massachusetts

Councilors Debate Becoming Sanctuary City in Quincy, Mass.

President Donald Trump's revised travel ban will be implemented in 10 days and while he hopes to tighten immigration, city councilors in Quincy, Massachusetts, are debating whether to become a sanctuary city.

City Councilor Nina Liang introduced a resolution at the Quincy city council meeting Monday night on whether to study the issue of becoming a sanctuary city. But the council voted it down 6-3, arguing that council isn’t the proper venue for such a discussion.

Several members favored community meetings instead to get a feel for where the city stands.

“I would love to see Quincy look into it so we are really protecting the people that made America great,” said resident Sharon Gamache. “And that’s all the generations of immigrants.”

Sanctuary cities typically protect undocumented immigrants from being turned in by local police to deportation authorities as long as they haven’t committed a serious crime.

“I would like everybody to feel like they’re safe here,” said resident Rachel Ennis, who was hoping the vote would be different.

Many in the crowd applauded when council voted the resolution down.

“I feel that a lot of the illegal immigrants will come running to Quincy,” said resident Jane Hanlon-Cook. “I just feel for me personally, you’re welcome to be here, just make yourself legal, that’s all we’re asking for.”

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