Dallas, the first 'Sanctuary City from Socialism'

"Happy Independence Day from America's first Sanctuary City from Socialism!"Dallas Mayor Eric L. Johnson greeted this 4th of July. Just one day earlier, he had announced that his city would now be considered the nation’s first anti-socialism “sanctuary” — a play on the term used for Democratic cities and states that refuse to enforce federal immigration laws.

"We value free enterprise, law and order, and our first responders," he explained, defining the new term. "Common sense and the American Dream still reside here. We have all your big-city comforts and conveniences without the suffocating vice grip of government bureaucrats."

In addition to a statement of principles and a new nickname—alongside Triple D, D-Town, and Pegasus City—the proposal also included an invitation: "If your city is (or is about to be) a sanctuary for criminals, mayhem, job-killing regulations, and failed socialist experiments, I have a modest invitation for you: MOVE TO DALLAS."

In social media posts days earlier, the former Democrat-turned-Republican specifically targeted New Yorkers, sharing a news story about Wall Street’s panic over Zohran Mamdani's lead in the New York City mayoral Democratic primary.

"Dear Concerned New York City Resident or Business Owner," Johnson wrote Johnson. "Don’t panic! Just move to Dallas, where we strongly support our police, value our partners in the business community, embrace free markets, shun excessive regulation, and protect the American Dream!"

Texas Governor Greg Abbott joined the statement, tweeting that he will provide “whatever support is needed” for Dallas to “fulfill” its role as the nation’s first self-declared Sanctuary City from Socialism. However, at this time, neither Johnson nor Abbott have specified whether the declaration will be followed by additional actions.