Thread: LA march had only 300 people

Aug 18, 2007 10:28 pm US/Central

Immigration Activist Takes Refuge In L.A. Church
Elvira Arellano Was To Attend Immigration Rally, But Sought Refuge In A Church Instead

(CBS) CHICAGO Illegal immigrant turned immigration activist Elvira Arellano is risking arrest by taking a trip to Los Angeles, but she is taking precautions.

Arellano and her son drove to L.A. for an immigration rally Saturday. She didn't go to the event; she's hiding out in a church -- the same way she avoided deportation in Chicago.

As CBS 2’s Rafael Romo reports, Arellano traveled from Adalberto Methodist Church in Chicago's Humboldt Park neighborhood to another church in an L.A. Mexican neighborhood.

She chose not to participate in an immigration march attended by hundreds in downtown Los Angeles at noon, sending instead her 8-year-old son, Saul, a citizen of the United States.

She traveled to California by car where she was to meet with immigration activists to talk about her upcoming trip to Washington, D.C.

“Elvira chose to go to LA as a way of… to promote the Washington trip and she's also… she did it so she can bring to the light and other areas the crisis of the families being separated right now,â€

Originally Posted by ALIPAC

We cannot use this without 100% confirmation from a news source.

We need A. A news source in print, on audio, or video giving out the number or B. Still shots or video capture showing this low number.

If someone can get us the 100% documentation, we can slam them on this.

W

William see 5th Paragraph down the crowd of "several hundred"

http://www.myfoxla.com/myfox/pages/Home ... geId=1.1.1

Illegal Immigrant Who Fled to Chicago a No-Show for LA Amnesty Rally

Elvira Arellano, an illegal immigrant from Mexico who has taken refuge in a Chicago church to avoid deportation for the last year, speaks to media at
A woman who became a lightning rod in the debate over illegal immigration by taking refuge in a Chicago church to avoid being deported was in Los Angeles Saturday, but did not show up for a march seeking amnesty for illegal immigrants, a march organizer said.

Elvira Arellano and her son Saul, 8, who is a U.S. citizen, were both expected at the march in downtown Los Angeles, but only the son appeared at the march, said organizer Javier Rodriguez.

Arellano remained at La Placita Church, "I assume because of her safety from the authorities," Rodriguez said.

The march and rally at Broadway and Olympic Boulevard was meant to send three messages -- amnesty for illegal immigrants, opposition to the Iraq war and impeachment for President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney -- Rodriguez said.

Saul told the crowd of several hundred that the mothers of children who are U.S. citizens, like his mother, should be allowed to stay in the United States, Rodriguez said.

Earlier, Rodriguez told the Chicago Tribune that Arellano's decision to possibly provoke federal immigration authorities by appearing publicly was "her last fight at the O.K. Corral."

A public affairs officer with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said the agency does not disclose its enforcement plans in advance.

"U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is required to enforce the nation's immigration laws and ensure that they are applied fairly," Lori K. Haley said. "Those who willfully violate U.S. immigration laws face the consequences of their actions.

"ICE prioritizes enforcement efforts to best protect national security and promote the public safety of communities throughout the country. We carry out enforcement actions at appropriate times and places."

Arellano, who is from Mexico, defied an order to report to the Department of Homeland Security on Aug. 15, 2006, to be deported. Instead, she took refuge in the Adalberto United Methodist Church in the Humboldt Park area of Chicago, where she had remained, apparently until Thursday night, The Tribune reported.

U.S. law does not recognize the concept of sanctuary in churches, but so far authorities have not tried to deport anyone who has sought sanctuary.

In June, a Ventura woman married to a U.S. citizen but facing deportation because she is not a legal resident began living in St. Luke's Episcopal Church in Long Beach, along with her baby.

According to the New Sanctuary Movement, which assists illegal immigrants seeking church sanctuary, at least 600,000 families in the United States have at least one member facing deportation because they are not legal residents.

Arellano has said she sought to remain in this country so her son, who was born in the United States, can get better medical care for his attention- deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Arellano first came to the United States in 1997 and was deported to Mexico shortly afterward. She returned and moved to Illinois in 2000, taking a job cleaning planes at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport.

Arellano was arrested in 2002 and later convicted of working under a false Social Security number, prompting the order for her to be deported.

Arellano's supporters have likened her to Rosa Parks, whose refusal to give up her seat in a Montgomery, Ala., bus in 1955 helped spark the Civil Rights Movement. But some blacks have criticized that comparison.

"Ms. Arellano is no Rosa Parks," asserted a flier from Choose Black America, which is headed by homeless activist Ted Hayes, who opposes illegal immigration saying it takes jobs from poor blacks.

Arellano announced plans this week to travel to Washington Sept. 12 to pray and attempt to persuade lawmakers to pass an immigration reform bill.

Here's a number from the Chicago Tribune (8/18/07):

"Arellano had planned to speak at Saturday's immigration rally but feared arrest and overexposure, and wanted to avoid harm from critics. Poor planning of an event that barely drew 500 demonstrators on a warm cloudless day also played a part."

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/loca ... ?track=rss

Activist immigrant takes shelter at new church

By Antonio Olivo

Chicago Tribune

CHICAGO — Elvira Arellano, the illegal Mexican immigrant who avoided deportation for a year by taking refuge in a Chicago church, spoke from a different sanctuary Saturday, a Los Angeles church blocks from an immigration march.

Arellano, 32, who arrived in Los Angeles on Saturday, had planned to address demonstrators at the march but changed her mind. To avoid the possibility of being arrested and to avoid facing detractors, she said, she chose to speak instead from Our Lady Queen of Angels Church.

Arellano's 8-year-old son, Saul, who is a U.S. citizen, traveled to the West Coast separately. Arellano left Thursday night, a day after announcing she would travel to Washington for a September prayer vigil and fast on the National Mall.

Arellano, 32, said she felt compelled to leave her sanctuary church in Chicago because she had become frustrated "with my arms crossed" while families like hers were affected by raids and immigration crackdowns. "We can't just stay there quiet while seeing how all of this is affecting our families," she said.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/n ... ant19.html

http://www.laplacita.org/

Our Lady Queen of Angels Church

Our Lady Queen of Angeles Church - La PlacitaOur Lady Queen of Angels Church. La Placita. Misioneros Claretianos ~ Claretian Missionaries. Click here for Immigration WORKSHOP File. ESPAÑOL ESPAÑOL ...

http://www.laplacita.org/english.htm

CLICK HERE FOR IMMIGRATION WORKSHEET FILE

http://www.laplacita.org/workshop.pdf

Illegal Immigrant Who Fled to Chicago a No-Show for LA Rally


Elvira Arellano's son did appear at the pro-immigrant rally.

Last Edited: Saturday, 18 Aug 2007, 8:56 PM PDT
Created: Saturday, 18 Aug 2007, 8:56 PM PDT

Los Angeles --
A woman who became a lightning rod in the debate over illegal immigration by taking refuge in a Chicago church to avoid being deported was in Los Angeles Saturday, but did not show up for a march seeking amnesty for illegal immigrants, a march organizer said.

Elvira Arellano and her son Saul, 8, who is a U.S. citizen, were both expected at the march in downtown Los Angeles, but only the son appeared at the march, said organizer Javier Rodriguez.

Arellano remained at La Placita Church, "I assume because of her safety from the authorities," Rodriguez said.

The march and rally at Broadway and Olympic Boulevard was meant to send three messages -- amnesty for illegal immigrants, opposition to the Iraq war and impeachment for President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney -- Rodriguez said.

Saul told the crowd of several hundred that the mothers of children who are U.S. citizens, like his mother, should be allowed to stay in the United States, Rodriguez said.

http://www.myfoxla.com/myfox/pages/News ... geId=3.2.1

HA HA HA!!!!! Only a small crowd showed up!!!! And the illegals martyr, Elvira, didn't even show up!!! Now that's funny!!

In other words, when it was obvious that the protest didn't draw a crowd and there was no interest she was pulled from appearing because it would shed light on the fact that no one takes her serious and that would hurt the attempt to make a martyr/human shield out of her.

[quote]Pastor Walter Coleman of Adalberto Methodist Church announced a year ago that he was allowing Arellano to stay at his church in the Humboldt Park neighborhood.

“In this case we feel we have to obey God; that's what we have to do no matter what the consequences are,â€

Originally Posted by tiredofapathy

Does anyone know where this minister was ordained???

Yeah he was ordained at the King George Bush school of ministry where the laws of the land don't matter. Of course that will also depend on if your legal or illegal which laws apply and which laws don't.