This group of leading activists and scholars has produced a brilliant set of chapters. From congregations to college campuses to city hall, they illuminate the diverse practices and meanings of sanctuary. A provocative and moving read, and a highly original contribution to social movement studies!

Domenic Vitiello, University of Pennsylvania, and author of The Sanctuary City: Immigrant, Refugee, and Receiving Communities in Postindustrial Philadelphia

Ranging widely—from testimonies by asylum seekers, undocumented workers, and their allies to accounts of the sanctuary movement in Philadelphia, the long history of sanctuary, and related topics—The Road to Sanctuary combines primary and secondary materials that will inform and inspire students, scholars, policy makers and activists in Philadelphia and far beyond.

Linda Rabben, University of Maryland, and author of Sanctuary and Asylum: A Social and Political History

The new sanctuary movement has been reported on with frequency in response to the resurgence of nativism and xenophobia, but it has never been written from the inside. The Road to Sanctuary is a powerful account of the movement — moving undocumented activism from the margins to the center — providing powerful direct accounts of the realities and complexities of those living in sanctuary and their allies. The narratives force the reader to engage with the reality that the law — at times — is not liberatory for those seeking change. The narratives force the reader to critically engage with intersectional allyship and coalition building between African Americans and immigrants. Law students and lawyers engaging in movement lawyering must begin here — centering and humbly listening to communities on the frontline.

Karla McKanders, director of the Immigration Practice Clinic at Vanderbilt Law School

Philadelphia’s road to sanctuary was paved by organizers and movements who met the moment and understood our collective power to change it — this compilation of their stories is compelling and timeless. The Road to Sanctuary is a profound reminder that the democracy we need is the one we build ourselves.

Helen Gym, Philadelphia City councilmember and former executive director of Asian Americans United

This compelling book represents a unique collaboration of some of the organizers, activists, artists, lawyers, faith leaders, and academics who, together with immigrant residents, have worked together to make the city of Philadelphia a sanctuary. It is a how-to guide, a vehicle for reflection, and a significant academic analysis, offering important insights into the history and meaning of sanctuary movements, and the power, limits, and potential of contemporary sanctuary efforts.

Jennifer Chacón, Stanford Law School

The Road to Sanctuary offers a deep dive into the work of community organizations, sanctuary leaders, lawyers, artists, allies, and city government in creating sanctuary in Philadelphia, foregrounding as it should the voices of undocumented immigrants. The book contextualizes contemporary movements in Philadelphia’s long history of sanctuary while offering valuable guidance to those who pursue radically inclusive social change in communities across the nation.

Jaya Ramji-Nogales, Temple University Beasley School of Law