Journal for Christian reflections in the context of social sciences and humanities

Caritas et veritas 2025, 15(1):16-31 | DOI: 10.32725/cetv.2025.004

Religion, Migration, and Political Economy in the USA: from Open-doors to Raids and Sanctuaries for Dreamers

Antonio Sánchez-Bayón1, Jesús J. Sánchez-Barricarte2
1 Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Faculty of Economics & Business Sciences School, Paseo de Artilleros s/n, Madrid, Spain
2 Universidad Carlos III, Faculty of Political & Social Sciences, Paseo de la universidad s/n, Getafe, Spain

This is a Political Economy review on religion and migration management in the United States of America (USA). This evaluation in US migrants-citizens relations shows the pendulum effect, moving from integration policies (open doors and melting pot agenda) to official persecution (raids and deportations), with a high social opportunity cost. There has been a split between the State and the civil society, producing civil disobedience and sanctuary network across the country (the citizens protect the migrants from the State). Special attention is paid to the development of the Sanctuary Movement, as an ongoing example of the sociocultural upheaval bringing grassroots society into confrontation with powerful elites by promoting resistance and offering help to the needy, even if this results in sanctions. This movement was revitalised after the Great Recession of 2008, but it has also been polarised between those who follow the traditional approach to socio-religious action in the form of peaceful civil disobedience, and those who follow the ideological anti-system and communitarian approach, which causes greater tension for the immigrants themselves

Keywords: religion, migration, dreamers,  political economy,  demographic economic policies, sanctuary movement, civil disobedience

Received: February 8, 2022; Revised: September 2, 2022; Accepted: September 4, 2022; Prepublished online: July 20, 2025; Published: August 12, 2025  Show citation

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Sánchez-Bayón, A., & Sánchez-Barricarte, J.J. (2025). Religion, Migration, and Political Economy in the USA: from Open-doors to Raids and Sanctuaries for Dreamers. Caritas et veritas, 15(1), 16-31. doi: 10.32725/cetv.2025.004
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