Sanctuary cities have been much in the news lately. The idea of cities of refuge is biblical, of course. They were for those who were in danger of being killed in retaliation for an accidental death. Far from being means of escaping from law, in fact they were established by law. So what were then called sanctuary cities were refuges from private revenge -- but what we now call sanctuary cities are refuges from public authority. These are very different things.
Related:
Civil Disobedience