Atlas of Hispanic-American History

2006, President Bush authorized the

building of such a fence.

Democrats argue that the new legis-

lation is impractical and pointless. For

one, Congress appropriated only a frac-

tion of the billions of dollars needed to

build the fence. What’s more, geography

makes the construction daunting.

Through much of Arizona, the U.S.-

Mexico border traverses steep desert cliffs

and deep ravines.

Advocates for Mexican immigrants

argue that as the fence is constructed

through more heavily populated regions

of the border zone, illegals will take more

expensive, more dangerous and more des-

olate routes through dry desert. In fact,

since the fence was built in the San

Diego-Tijuana area, an estimated 3,600

people have died trying to cross the bor-

der into the United States.

Some have also argued that the bor-

der fence might also have the ironic con-

sequence of keeping some people in the

United States who might otherwise go

back to Mexico. Many migrants used to

come to the United States for a number of

months out of each year and then return

to their families. More recently, some are

not only deciding to stay but they are

bringing their families with them.

A New Sanctuary

Movement

The tension over illegal immigration has

spurred an angry response from the

Latino Community. In March, 2006, half

a million people in Los Angeles, as well

as thousands more in other cities nation-

wide marched to protest against tight-

ened immigration laws. In addition, the

Sanctuary Movement, which had been

active in the 1980s, has returned as well.

As discussed in Chapter 8, the Sanctuary

Movement of the 1980s was an interfaith

response to the thousands of mostly

Salvadoran and Guatemalan refugees

who were arriving in the United States

illegally, fleeing the life-threatening con-

ditions and human rights violations they

faced during a period of U.S.-backed

civil wars at home.

Although the United States often

granted refugee status to civilians fleeing

the civil war in socialist-led Nicaragua,

the United States denied refugee status to

224 ATLAS OF HISPANIC-AMERICAN HISTORY

Chicago

Minneapolis

Denver

Salt Lake City

San Francisco

Los Angeles

Houston

Miami

New York

Baltimore

Detroit

Chicago

Minneapolis

Dallas

Denver

Salt Lake City

Phoenix

San Francisco

Portland

Seattle

Los Angeles

San Diego

Austin Houston

Washington, D.C.

Major U.S. Sanctuary Cities