This news podcast revisits a 2017 report on the origins of the sanctuary movement in the US, gaining renewed relevance with Donald Trump's return to office and his promised mass deportation plans. The podcast traces the movement's beginnings in Tucson, Arizona in the 1980s, detailing how churches sheltered Central American refugees fleeing civil wars amid a complex political climate influenced by the Cold War. The narrative follows the government's investigation, the resulting trial of sanctuary workers, and the eventual legal battles that led to reforms in the asylum process. A key takeaway is the stark contrast between the high asylum approval rates for refugees from Iran and Afghanistan (60% and 40%, respectively) and the extremely low approval rate for Salvadorans and Guatemalans (less than 3%) during the 1980s, highlighting the political context influencing asylum decisions.
