Tribal Roots in the Sanctuary Cities of US

The civilizations dating far into the past recognize the value of the soil--literally, our roots--ingrained into our existing as human beings.  China is one cultural heritage that preserves the relationship between our physical existence and the geographical location of our life through the notion of the tribe or immediate interactions of self and our community.  The tribe is indeed an inherent aspect of one's self-identity.  That's the notion that the framers of the US Constitution sought to give due homage to in limiting the importance of the vote in elections such that the geographical location of the voter must be factored into the election process in a presidential election through a mechanism known as 'the electoral college.'

In essence, this is the metaphysical principle that where you are is how you live!  The tribe is truly the existential you!

A declared sanctuary city, I believe, exemplifies and points to our tribal awareness of local independence whenever our very day-to-day existence is overlooked by some governmental agency or entity, such as the federal government, itself.  For it looks upon itself as the local and immediate organization of people practicing ways endemic to the area, that particular locale.  It aims to declare what its local cultural ways are, which are special and identifiable features of its own region.  It just is the case that Latinos live in a particular part of Texas and this pertains to them whether or not the federal government classifies any particular Latino as 'illegal' or 'legal,' for instance--which are mere temporary or transient descriptions regarding one's status bestowed by the agency or government.

Importantly, in long-lasting civilizations, the tribe is a fundamental unit of community.  Each tribe must be recognized and each respected, so that one or another 'tribe' is not singled out as the epitome of the governmental entity.  Christians are not to be the 'tribe' of the United States, such that it is regarded as a Christian nation. All religious persons must be respected quite independent of each's religious conviction.