Illustration by Pete Railand

Citizenship should not determine who is and is not guaranteed the dignity to live without fear. Immigration is this country’s foundation, the core of its identity, and citizenship should not be a prerequisite to securing fair and equal housing opportunities.

Following a lawsuit by the city of San Francisco in response to President Trump’s threats to cut federal funding for sanctuary cities, Assemblyman David Chiu (D-San Francisco) has introduced Assembly Bill 291, the Immigrant Tenant Protection Act of 2017. AB 291 is not unprecedented, rather, it is long overdue.

It will prohibit landlords from threatening to divulge tenants’ personal information to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and will allow immigrant tenants to exercise their legal right to report housing issues that landlords are legally required to repair. Over the past decade the Mission District has served as a prime example of the housing markets exploitive nature. Many long-time residents have been victims of forced evictions, afraid to fight back legally because of their immigration status. Without AB 291, all immigrants, especially those who do not speak English, will continue living at the margins of society.

This legislation’s reformative abilities transcend its reactionary origins. In this country,  the value of immigrants has more often than not been equated with cheap labor, their humanity frequently overlooked and undervalued. Immigrants are the anchor to our neighborhoods, communities and our country. Their homes should serve as warranted safe havens. Instead of worrying that their information could be disclosed to the authorities, immigrants, like other Americans, should be able to focus on contributing to this country’s social fabric and carving out their rendition of the American Dream.

Every immigrant’s story is different but their fight is the same. AB 291 serves as a leading example of policy efforts needed to preserve the humanity of those in search of opportunities in America. It serves not only as a legislative opposition to the predatory and xenophobic regime our president has ushered in, but as a reminder that basic human rights should not be conditional to an individual’s immigration status.