Policy Mic: What Republicans Don’t Want You to Know About “Securing the Border”

New York’s place on that list is especially salient given its place as the largest of the estimated 200 “sanctuary cities” across the country. The designation reflects a decision by local governments to protect undocumented immigrants from federal law enforcement. This makes it easier to collect taxes — undocumented immigrants paid $11.84 billion in state and local taxes in 2012, according to the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy — and encourages people who might otherwise avoid the authorities even if they’ve been the victim of a crime to become active members of their communities. Former New York Mayor Ed Koch implemented the sanctuary system with an executive order in 1989, and Rudy Giuliani, a Republican, defended the policy throughout his two terms.

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