Sanctuary cities will be a focal point when the new president takes office. But these cities that promise a measure of protection from deportations were increasing in number long before candidate Trump emerged as a serious contender. “In 2012, there were a few dozen sanctuary communities; today there are around five hundred and fifty.” What exactly can these cities do to protect someone from the federal government? In The New Yorker, the excellent Alex Kotlowitz takes a look at the possibilities and limits of the so-called sanctuary cities.