Anna Fifield on today’s FT writes an interesting piece on the proactive approach taken by cities like Baltimore and Dayton in US to attract more migrants to settle. This comes from the recognition that migrants, irrespective of their legal status, bring a new lease of life to ailing cities. To make Baltimore a safe haven to new comers last year the mayor of Baltimore, Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, went so far as to sign an executive order prohibiting any city official from asking residents for their immigration status. On this side of the Atlantic, while we haven’t seen yet any local authorities to take such a bold stand, movements such as the Cities of Sanctuary or Strangers into Citizens enjoyed the support of numerous local authorities that wanted a more welcoming approach to migrants and a regularisation programme for those undocumented because they could see and appreciate the benefits that migrants bring to their cities, economically, socially and culturally.
“an executive order prohibiting any city official from asking residents for their immigration status.”
It makes me think of what I was once told about New York City Catering Services and Restaurant Industry: the police and officials don’t ask immigration status in their kitchen or New Yorkers would just starve. The whole sector/and city relies on them.