Raleigh pastor faces deportation

Updated 1 hr 34 mins ago

RALEIGH (WTVD) -- Supporters of a José Chicas say the pastor of Iglesia Evangelica in Raleigh faces deportation by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials.

Chicas fled his native El Salvador in the 1980's during that country's civil war and sought asylum in the U.S.

In the 1990's, he pleaded guilty to driving under the influence and domestic abuse while struggling with alcoholism.

Since then, his supporters say he underwent a spiritual conversion and has served his family and the community for two decades.

But now, he's been ordered to leave the country because of his past criminal conviction.

"I do not want to be separated from my family, or my family have a broken unit. Nor do I want to go to a country where I will have no one to receive me and know no one," Chicas said Wednesday through an interpreter.

For now, Chicas has been given sanctuary by a Durham religious group that hopes ICE will not make arrests in a place of worship.

http://abc11.com/news/raleigh-pastor...ation/2185138/

Must watch the video report at he link...

So he's been here for over 27 years and still speaks through an interpreter?

If you are a legal immigrant in America and you dont want to face the penalties of law which require your deportation then dont break our laws. Dont drink and drive and beat women because if you do we want you deported.

The real tragedy here is that our government waited so long to enforce the laws in this case.

José Chicas should have been repatriated to the nation he is a citizen of immediately upon his first conviction.

W

The Churches are NOT above the law.

ICE needs to go in there and walk him out of there and deport him!

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Originally Posted by Beezer

The Churches are NOT above the law.

ICE needs to go in there and walk him out of there and deport him!

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I agree. I've always thought selective law enforcement was ridiculous. Aiding and abetting illegal immigrants is a violation of law. Those specific individuals responsible for knowingly sheltering illegals should be prosecuted according to law.

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Originally Posted by MW

So he's been here for over 27 years and still speaks through an interpreter?

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You took the words right out of my mouth!