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By: Dr. Alejandro Díaz-Bautista, Economist
Migrant workers make a significant contribution to the economy of Sanctuary cities and the United States. Sanctuary Cities in Solidarity with its Migrants. Malibu is declared Sanctuary City of migrants. In rejection of the immigration policies of the president of the United States, Donald Trump, and in solidarity with its migrant workers, the city of Malibu was declared their protector.
The idea was inspired by one of the city’s many famous residents, actor Martin Sheen, who stated, “Migrant workers have contributed a lot to the economy of migrant cities in the United States in 2017,” said Dr. Alejandro Díaz Bautista, economist, national researcher at Conacyt as well as research professor at the Northern Border College (Colef).
Currently there are about 2.7 million Mexicans in the United States who have the possibility of accessing the citizenship process and for different reasons have not done it. Malibu is approximately 92 percent white and one of the wealthiest cities in Los Angeles County. In this form, it joins about 400 cities and sanctuary counties in the United States. The city of Malibu, the coastal town in California, was declared a Sanctuary City in March after a fierce 3-2 vote on its Council which, however, made it clear that they are not interested in working with immigration authorities.
The project of turning California into a sanctuary state is getting closer and closer, seeking to stop state officials from collaborating with ICE in operations against undocumented people, except in special cases where a court order is filed. The council members put the issue to discussion after revealing that in public schools of that locality there were at least 80 undocumented students or whose parents are in the country illegally.
One of the arguments of the resolution’s supporters is that the municipality receives less than $50,000 a year from the federal government, so the impact would be minimal if President Donald Trump complies with his warning to cut out resources for cities that do not Collaborate with the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Malibu, in Los Angeles County, is located 30 miles from downtown Angelino and is famous for being home to celebrities and wealthy families. According to the Census Bureau, only 769 inhabitants are of Hispanic origin, which is 6.1% of its total population that exceeds 12,000 people.
Latinos, however, make up a large part of their workforce and visitors. Santa Ana and La Puente, were declared sanctuary cities by the number of Hispanics who inhabit there; but Malibu is a city where the average income of their homes is $204,000 annually.
