Understanding Public Opinion on Sanctuary Cities
Up until relatively recently, little public polling on sanctuary cities has taken place. That has changed as these policies have become points of conflict between federal and state/local governments. This chapter analyzes public opinion polls in two states with a significant stake in the sanctuary debate, California and Texas, to better understand how partisan and racial learning affect support for sanctuary policies. This chapter shows that both Democrats and Republicans have increasingly “learned” the correct position on sanctuary policies based on their partisan identification, which is the strongest predictor of support or opposition to sanctuary policies. Further, the chapter shows that opposition to sanctuary cities are strongest in areas undergoing rapid Latino growth not in high-crime areas.