Thread: elvira leaving church

Aug. 15, 2007, 2:01AM
Immigration activist to leave sanctuary


By SOPHIA TAREEN Associated Press Writer
© 2007 The Associated Press

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CHICAGO — A woman who has come to personify the struggles of illegal immigrant parents says that for the first time in a year she will venture beyond the walls of the church that has protected her from deportation.

Elvira Arellano took refuge inside Aldalberto United Methodist Church on Aug. 15, 2006, and has lived there on the second floor with her 8-year-old son Saul, who is a U.S. citizen.

She hasn't left the church for fear of being sent back to Mexico and separated from her son.

She was to announce Wednesday that she plans a Sept. 12 trip to Washington to lobby Congress for immigration reform, according to the Rev. Walter Coleman, pastor of the church and longtime Chicago political activist.

It's not clear how she'll get there, but she likely won't be flying, Coleman told The Associated Press Tuesday. He and others worry Arellano will be arrested, but she plans to go anyway.

"I will go with my Bible and my son and I will read to him from the Holy Scriptures as I do every day," Arellano said in a statement sent Tuesday to The AP. "If this government would separate me from my son, let them do it in front of the men and women who have the responsibility to fix this broken law and uphold the principles of human dignity."

Whether Arellano will continue her sanctuary at the church is unclear.

The 32-year-old says she has been too comfortable there and needs to "join the struggle" outside.

In the past year, Arellano has reignited an interest in a sanctuary movement across the U.S. with her continued public defiance and her belief that the U.S. knowingly exploits illegal immigrants.

But she's also drawn criticism from many who say she is part of an orchestrated movement and exploits her U.S.-born son by having him speak at news conferences.

There is no doubt, however, of her reach.

"She's a household figure at this point and her story is well known because people can relate to it," said Raul Hinojosa-Ojeda, a professor at the University of California at Los Angeles.

Arellano came illegally to the U.S. in 1997. She was deported shortly thereafter, but returned and worked different jobs, including childcare. She moved to Illinois in 2000 because she had friends in the Chicago area and took a job cleaning planes at O'Hare International Airport.

She was arrested in 2002 at O'Hare and later convicted of working under a false Social Security number. She was to surrender to authorities last August, but asked instead to take refuge at her church.

She has gone on hunger strikes, written dozens of letters and sent her son with other activists to Mexico and Washington to talk to legislators. She's been interviewed by reporters from across the globe.

But she says she doesn't consider herself a symbol.

"I am a single mother who has a child who's an American citizen," she said recently in Spanish.

Arellano said she has a simple goal: to stay with Saul, who she said should be guaranteed rights as an American citizen.

"He knows this as his country," she said.

Arellano said her decision to live at the church has come with sacrifices. She said she can't take Saul for after-school activities or pick up his report card. The family has no contact with Saul's father.

At times she has feared for her and Saul's safety, she said.

In December, neighborhood residents said they saw U.S. marshals taking photos of the church. Federal agents denied the allegations, but immigration activists took up 24-hour vigils outside.

Arellano has no case pending to become a legal resident.

"I'm hoping for an immigration bill to pass," she said.

Arellano knows she could be arrested during next month's planned trip. If that happens, she said, "they'd find me praying."

I found this on another site. Geez, I'm tired of hearing about her.

Arellano knows she could be arrested during next month's planned trip. If that happens, she said, "they'd find me praying."

Right now I'm praying they get her the h*** out of here.

I am sick of hearing about her too.

Can't they carry out deportation orders now that she's leaving the church?

They could of and should of when she was in the church. They just don't want to. It will be interesting to see if they do anything now. But I really am tired of her.

That is the story from the Chicago Tribune.

Here is what the Chicago Suntimes has to say.

Illegal immigrant marks year of hiding in church
http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/5103 ... 15.article

Note: The Times is the more liberal rag here in town, so the story appears soft on her, as in past stories, but check out the link to the Editorial. (That really surprises me coming from that rag.)

RELATED STORIES
http://www.suntimes.com/news/commentary ... 5a.article

The editoral is great. It is time for her to return to Mexico with her son. She has been given enough American benefits because of her son. Time for her to leave. She was deported before the son was conceived the first time and then hurried back and had a child so she could state. time to change the law.

"I'm going to keep fighting. The message they're sending is that reform is dead," a visibly exhausted Arellano said in her stuffy apartment Tuesday afternoon. "But we can't ignore the 4 million U.S. citizen children whose families are here illegally. We need to change the laws."

4,000,000???? How does she know that when the US Government doesn't even know "who they are, where they are or what they're doing"?

No, no matter how many there are, we do not need to change our laws.

We do need to change our US Constitution requiring at least one parent be a US Citizen in order for offspring to be automatic American Citizens upon birth.

http://www.alipac.us/modules.php?name=F ... 981#446981

related post

[quote="GOSCOOTIN"]Aug. 15, 2007, 2:01AM
Immigration activist to leave sanctuary

"I will go with my Bible and my son and I will read to him from the Holy Scriptures as I do every day," Arellano said in a statement sent Tuesday to The AP. "If this government would separate me from my son, let them do it in front of the men and women who have the responsibility to fix this broken law and uphold the principles of human dignity."
quote]


I hope she can read this;



Rom 13;17….let every soul be in subjection to superior authorities.
Titus 3;1..be obedient to government and authorities as rulers.
Luke 2;1-5…a decree went forth from Caesar for all the inhabited earth to be registered…
Acts 24;16…I am exercising myself continually …of committing no offense to GOD and men. (they are breaking our laws and GOD’s laws.)
Rom 13;2-4…â€

"I will go with my Bible and my son and I will read to him from the Holy Scriptures as I do every day," Arellano said in a statement.

Does she need an interpreter of the Good Book? She doesn't seem to understand the Bible to well, or she would NOT be here.

It's not clear how she'll get there, but she likely won't be flying, Coleman told The Associated Press Tuesday. He and others worry Arellano will be arrested, but she plans to go anyway.

HMMM... I wonder which church she will be staying at in DC.