There is a discussion today concerning a immigrant

[demosincebirth]

hiding in a Church to avoid deportation. Can "Sanctuary" still be used today in the U.S.?

[tjwmason]

1. I can't imagine it having any legal standing.

I think that the pressure is more moral - it doesn't look good to have armed officers fighting their way into a church.

[demosincebirth]

3. I think you're right. It wouldn't look good to have the local

swat team storming a place of prayer. The church might just scoot her out the back door, during the night.

[Matilda]

2. Good section in Wikipedia,

dealing both with "sanctuary" and "the sanctuary". Seems that the
concept of sanctuary as a safe haven died out in the 17th century,
but it doesn't say why or how.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanctuary


It would be interesting to find out - politics I suppose.

[demosincebirth]

4. I think it would be more with politics