See related story: “Thousands Across Bay Area Mobilize Against Mass Deportation”
San Francisco has a long history of providing refuge to people in marginalized communities.
Early Foundations (1850-1900)
- 1850: California becomes a free state, prohibiting slavery, but the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 still requires the return of enslaved people who escaped, even in free states. San Francisco’s abolitionist community of Black leaders, churches and sympathetic white residents hide and protect escaped slaves from bounty hunters.
- Archy Lee, who fled slavery in 1858, is arrested in San Francisco. The local Black community and white abolitionists fight for his release. A California judge rules in Lee’s favor, saying that since his captor lived in a free state, he had no right to hold Lee.
- 1855: San Francisco’s Chinatown becomes a refuge for Chinese immigrants fleeing violence and discrimination in mining camps and rural areas, particularly in California’s Gold Rush regions. Many Chinese laborers faced hostility from white miners and discriminatory laws, such as the Foreign Miners’ Tax, which targeted them. Anti-Chinese sentiment led to violent attacks, driving many to seek safety in urban areas.
- 1870s – 1880s: San Francisco is a center of anti-Chinese sentiment, which leads to restrictive immigration laws like the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 and escalates into white mobs attacking Chinese businesses and homes. Some local churches and activists shelter Chinese residents.
- Despite opposition from local government, Chinese benevolent societies and local allies help protect immigrants and fight unfair laws, such as ordinances designed to restrict Chinese businesses.
Civil Rights & Refugee Movements (1900-1999)
- 1930s and 1940s: San Francisco becomes a haven for leftist intellectuals and political refugees fleeing European fascism.
- 1942: Japanese American internment begins, with thousands from San Francisco forcibly relocated. Some non-Japanese allies resist and help protect property and livelihoods.
- 1960s and 1970s: San Francisco emerges as a hub for civil rights activists, Vietnam War draft resisters and LGBTQ asylum seekers.
- 1985: San Francisco’s Sanctuary Ordinance protects refugees fleeing violence related to U.S.-backed conflicts in El Salvador and Guatemala. City employees may not assist federal immigration enforcement unless required by law.
- 1989: The Sanctuary Ordinance expands to cover all undocumented immigrants, not just refugees. Local police and city agencies do not inquire about immigration status or report undocumented individuals to Immigration and Naturalization Service, precursor agency to ICE.
Modern Sanctuary Policies (2000-present)
- 2013: The Due Process for All Ordinance prevents the Sheriff’s Department from holding immigrants solely for ICE pickup unless they have serious criminal records.
- 2015: The shooting of Kate Steinle on Pier 14 by an undocumented immigrant prompts then-presidential candidate Donald Trump to campaign against sanctuary cities.
- 2017: The first Trump administration attempts to withhold federal funding from sanctuary cities. San Francisco sues and wins in court, maintaining its policies.
- 2021 – present: San Francisco remains committed to protecting immigrants and continues to face challenges balancing sanctuary policies with crime and public safety concerns.
