Langley is considering a proposal to become a “sanctuary city,” and in so doing is poised to enter a national debate about illegal immigration.

While the tiny town of just over 1,000 residents has just about zero influence over national policy, both Mayor Tim Callison and the city council should be applauded for considering such a step and should ultimately move forward with the proposal. Definitions about just what a sanctuary city is can vary, as it’s not a legal term. But we don’t necessarily see the designation as a position on immigration laws themselves. Rather, it’s an opportunity to make a public and definitive statement about where America’s values should lie and, perhaps more importantly, a way of taking a formal stand against the broader topics of police profiling and religious persecution.

Sanctuary cities are commonly defined as those that have adopted policies or guidelines that offer degrees of protection for illegal immigrants. That’s accomplished in several ways, such as instructing public employees not to inquire about a person’s immigration status.

Sanctuary cities have been around for a long time but became a hot topic during the presidential race due to Trump’s promise to crack down on them by denying such cities or counties federal funding. In an unprecedented move, he also vowed to build a wall on the U.S./Mexico border and to round up and deport up to 3 million undocumented immigrants.

Similarly, Trump also initially proposed to ban all Muslims from entering the country. He later backed away from that plan and is now considering an immigrant registration program that would target Muslims.

Its political implications aside, one of the primary reasons cities choose to become a sanctuary city is to ensure that police and other local public services don’t actively work to enforce immigration laws — it’s an attempt to stem profiling and leave the enforcement of federal laws to the federal government.

It’s our view that Trump’s radical views and rhetoric concerning Muslims have broadened the reasons for becoming a sanctuary city as well. Islam is not the enemy, and developing “registration” programs for Muslims is frighteningly unAmerican. We are not a nation of cowards who create public policy rooted in fear and intolerance. It’s simply not who we are.

Langley should take a stand on racial and religious profiling. It’s not a position on controversial policy, it’s a statement on American values.