Immigration History 101

● 1982: Sanctuary Movement
o During this time there was mass migration of people from Central America to the
U.S. due to civil wars. The U.S. refused to give refugee status to Central American migrants fleeing their civil war torn countries, because it was funding and arming militaries of these repressive governments. In acknowledging their refugee status, the U.S. government would implicate itself in the violence being waged.
o For this reason, various religious communities opened their doors to undocumented Central American migrants, mainly Guatemalan and Salvadoran, and openly defied immigration laws.
o More than 250 churches provide “sanctuary”to Salvadoran and Guatemalan Refugees.

Cartoon by: Dennis Renault, Sacramento Bee, 1986.

**Program created (in part) by Ana Rodriguez-BorderLinks’ (Tucson AZ)**