Sanctuary cities? How regional mayors can protect victims of crime with insecure immigration status

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England’s directly elected regional mayors – including the eight metro mayors and the mayor of London – have a critical role to play in facilitating the inclusion and integration of migrants.

This briefing explores the extent to which regional mayors can safeguard individuals with insecure immigration status from some of the risks posed by the current ‘hostile environment’ approach to immigration enforcement.

We focus on how regional city mayors can ensure that the protection of victims and witnesses of crime with insecure immigration status is not undermined by cooperation between the police and Immigration Enforcement. This is known as the promotion of ‘safe reporting’: securing routes for victims and witnesses to report crime and receive support without facing enforcement action from the Home Office.

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