The new face of immigration reform

From CITY NEWS SERVICE


Father Giovanni Bizzotto addresses the media Tuesday at a protest called by immigration rights activists condemning Sunday’s arrest and deportation of Elvira Arellano, an illegal immigrant who has become a key figure in the battle for immigration reform.

A Chicago woman who is arrested and deported here Sunday becomes a heroine to immigrants’ rights activists. Immigration officials say they were just doing their job.

LOS ANGELES — The battle for immigration reform took a new step over the weekend with the arrest Sunday of a Mexican woman who has become the face of the movement to provide amnesty for illegal immigrants.

Elvira Arellano, who sought sanctuary in a Chicago church rather than be deported, was arrested here and deported to Tijuana after appearances at three Southland churches.

The head of the local immigration enforcement office said his agents were simply doing their job.

“[Our office] has a sworn duty to ensure that our nation’s immigration laws are applied fairly and without regard for a person’s ability to generate public support,â€