Like the underground railroad that was established in the United States during the nineteenth century to assist runaway slaves, the Sanctuary movement was born in response to the plight of political refugees from the troubled Central American nations of El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua.
The Sanctuary movement is an underground railroad that began in the United States in 1981 to help Central American citizens fleeing their homes to escape the repression, persecution, and violence of their governments. These Central American refugees traveled, often on foot, through Central America, into Mexico, and across the border into the United States. Because the Sanctuary movement can be successful only under complete secrecy, it is difficult to verify whether the movement remains vital today. Certain Central American governments still deny their citizens freedom to elect governmental officials, so odds are that the movement still operates.
The Central American political refugees received aid from religious communities located near the border. Aid took the form of food, shelter, and assistance with legal matters relating to the United States Department of Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS). The goal of these religious communities was to help the Central Americans obtain political asylum, enabling them to remain in the United States legally. The Central Americans could qualify for political asylum if they had proof of persecution. Because the Central Americans fled their homes, often with nothing but the clothing on their backs, they had no proof of persecution and were therefore denied political asylum. They were then deported — returned to their homeland to face persecution or, even worse, death.
