Mr. Heartbreak Posted August 16, 2007 Share Posted August 16, 2007 Time to nab her and send her back to Mexico before she makes it to DC. http://news.netscape.com/story/2007/08/15/...icago-sanctuary Illegal immigrant to depart Chicago sanctuary CHICAGO (Reuters) - An illegal Mexican immigrant who became a voice for families facing deportation by taking sanctuary in a Chicago church a year ago said on Wednesday she will leave her refuge to take her fight to Washington. Elvira Arellano, 32, has stayed within the cramped walls of the storefront Adalberto United Methodist Church for one year, invoking the ancient medieval protection of sanctuary. With her 8-year-old son, Saul, by her side, she said she planned on departing the safety of the church to participate in a September 12 immigration march aimed at reviving proposals in the U.S. Congress to change immigration laws. "I will go to Washington, D.C. I will go to pray and fast in front of Congress," Arellano told reporters in halting English. Legislation that failed to pass in June would have given illegal immigrants an avenue for remaining in the United States and eventually gaining citizenship. In recent months, immigration authorities have increased enforcement efforts with raids on workplaces and fines levied against employers who hired illegal immigrants. Arellano has said she acted on behalf of her son who does not want to live in Mexico, a country he has only seen in the past year when he went to Mexico City to lobby the government to come to his mother's aid. Saul is among some 4 million U.S.-born children in 2 million immigrant families who have undocumented members and who face the prospect of being split up. Arellano entered the United States illegally in 1997, was returned to Mexico, then recrossed the border and was working a menial job at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport in 2002 when she was arrested in an immigration sweep. She was convicted of working under a false Social Security number and, after several delays, was ordered deported. Immigration authorities have not tried to arrest her, although the church does not provide any legal barrier to entry. In a statement, Immigration and Customs Enforcement said it "has the authority to arrest illegal aliens in all locales." Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Atticus Posted August 16, 2007 Share Posted August 16, 2007 methodists... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mr. Heartbreak Posted August 16, 2007 Author Share Posted August 16, 2007 I guess that "menial" job at O'Hare Airport didn't work out so well. How does one manage to stay inside a church for a year and still work at a job? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
isadorah Posted August 16, 2007 Share Posted August 16, 2007 wonder if she'll join the women that sits in lafayette park just across the from the whitehouse. that woman's been out there under the guise of a protest since at least 1985. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mr. Heartbreak Posted August 16, 2007 Author Share Posted August 16, 2007 Can't they deport her from Lafayette Park? I'm sorry, I just don't understand the cojones of people like this. What I hear them saying is, "I broke your laws to come here, and now you have to let me stay." Meanwhile, people like my wife (who is a LEGAL immigrant) and I have to pay the government hundreds of dollars for processing fees in order to keep things copacetic with Homeland Security. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bjorn_skurj Posted August 16, 2007 Share Posted August 16, 2007 I guess that "menial" job at O'Hare Airport didn't work out so well. How does one manage to stay inside a church for a year and still work at a job?I could do my job from inside a church and may well have to one day. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mr. Heartbreak Posted August 16, 2007 Author Share Posted August 16, 2007 You must be a writer! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bjorn_skurj Posted August 16, 2007 Share Posted August 16, 2007 Oh, it's worse than that. I am the editor of a community newspaper in a community full of people driven batshit by multigenerational exposure to farm chemicals. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mr. Heartbreak Posted August 16, 2007 Author Share Posted August 16, 2007 I was close (I write and edit for a living, so that's how I came by that guess). Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bjorn_skurj Posted August 16, 2007 Share Posted August 16, 2007 I like doing what I do, but sometimes I wish I knew how to do something else, like fix cars, lay tile or build homemade tanks out of bulldozers. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
alison the wilca Posted August 16, 2007 Share Posted August 16, 2007 Can't they deport her from Lafayette Park? I'm sorry, I just don't understand the cojones of people like this. What I hear them saying is, "I broke your laws to come here, and now you have to let me stay." Meanwhile, people like my wife (who is a LEGAL immigrant) and I have to pay the government hundreds of dollars for processing fees in order to keep things copacetic with Homeland Security. I'm with Lou Dobbs on this one.agreed. i think its so incredibly RUDE. legal immigrants work hard, study for citizenship tests and pay a lot of money for the opportunity to be a citizen and what does this say to them? you should have just snuck in and saved yourself the trouble? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jenbobblehead Posted August 16, 2007 Share Posted August 16, 2007 she's been holed up for a year and the best she can do is "halting english?" Dude, learn english. that should have been job #1. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Duck-Billed Catechist Posted August 16, 2007 Share Posted August 16, 2007 Can't they deport her from Lafayette Park? I'm sorry, I just don't understand the cojones of people like this. What I hear them saying is, "I broke your laws to come here, and now you have to let me stay." Meanwhile, people like my wife (who is a LEGAL immigrant) and I have to pay the government hundreds of dollars for processing fees in order to keep things copacetic with Homeland Security. I'm with Lou Dobbs on this one. Frankly, if it were just a matter of paying hundreds of dollars in fees then there wouldn't be much of an issue. El Presidente tried to make it so that undocumented workers could buy into the immigration process, but that was seen as unacceptable amnesty. There are millions of people who would LOVE to go through the same excruciating process and have all the benefits of full citizenship. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
alison the wilca Posted August 17, 2007 Share Posted August 17, 2007 i'm sure there are tons of illegal immigrants that want to be legal (and probably tons who dont give a crap). i realize there is a limit to # of immigrants and obviously qualifiers but if they try and for one reason or another are NOT granted the opportunity to become a citizen, it doesn't make it okay to break the law and come here. should the laws be changed? probably. but as it stands, i can't respect it if someone decides to take it upon themselves to come here illegally. the uncontrolled and unregulated nature of illegal immigration is truly frightening. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
anodyne Posted August 17, 2007 Share Posted August 17, 2007 if we had unlimited immigration of central americans, who would make our clothes in the maquelidoras? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
WilcoFan Posted August 17, 2007 Share Posted August 17, 2007 if we had unlimited immigration of central americans, who would make our clothes in the maquelidoras? I say we trick them. Let them come here and then we move down there and enjoy paradise. I think they should try to capture this lady when she stops into an emergency room for her routine yearly checkup on the way to DC. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Duck-Billed Catechist Posted August 20, 2007 Share Posted August 20, 2007 http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070820/ap_on_...WkU4SLuPZys0NUE Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MrRain422 Posted August 20, 2007 Share Posted August 20, 2007 i'm sure there are tons of illegal immigrants that want to be legal (and probably tons who dont give a crap). i realize there is a limit to # of immigrants and obviously qualifiers but if they try and for one reason or another are NOT granted the opportunity to become a citizen, it doesn't make it okay to break the law and come here. should the laws be changed? probably. but as it stands, i can't respect it if someone decides to take it upon themselves to come here illegally. the uncontrolled and unregulated nature of illegal immigration is truly frightening. Yeah, there are a few million dead Native Americans who would probably agree with you on that. Sorry, for some reason I'm overly sensitive to this issue, I guess. I understand that the law is the law, and that we have to enforce them to a degree. I just think that the tone of the debate on this particular issue is often particularly vindicitive and lacking in compassion, especially considering our own history and how this nation came into being in the first place (not necessarily here, but just in general). If certain laws are necessary for our security, then fine, but I can't stand it when people treat this issue as if these people are subhuman or bad people when they take desperate measures to improve their own lives or the those of their families. Non-native civilization on this continent was founded by brutal illegal immigrants, but so many people fail to see a parallel at all. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
EL the Famous Posted August 20, 2007 Share Posted August 20, 2007 Non-native civilization on this continent was founded by brutal illegal immigrants, but so many people fail to see a parallel at all. Probably because you are comparing two extremely different moments in time w/ completely different circumstances/civilizations. On a side note, am I supposedd to feel personally guilty about that period of time and, if so, what is the proper recourse...deport myself back to England? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
the carlos Posted August 20, 2007 Share Posted August 20, 2007 Probably because you are comparing two extremely different moments in time w/ completely different circumstances/civilizations. On a side note, am I supposedd to feel personally guilty about that period of time and, if so, what is the proper recourse...deport myself back to England?Damn, if you are playing by olden day rules, will you not be able to have the internet when you return to ye old England? I'll miss you El. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Atticus Posted August 20, 2007 Share Posted August 20, 2007 so... since white people took land unfairly from the native americans we shouldn't enforce existing immigration laws for the benefit of taxpayers who have contributed to the economy and fabric of the country and broken no laws. I see now Quote Link to post Share on other sites
caliber66 Posted August 20, 2007 Share Posted August 20, 2007 On a side note, am I supposedd to feel personally guilty about that period of time and, if so, what is the proper recourse...deport myself back to England?...where you won't be able to get a job (legally) because you didn't follow EU immigration laws... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
EL the Famous Posted August 20, 2007 Share Posted August 20, 2007 alright then, if you need to reach me...i'll be in church. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
the carlos Posted August 20, 2007 Share Posted August 20, 2007 So would I have to go back to Hungary or Ireland? Which parent would have geographical seniority? Probably the father if we are playing by olden day rules. Thank goodness I like Hungarian food. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Atticus Posted August 20, 2007 Share Posted August 20, 2007 I'm off to scotland with stops in germany and a few other places. I'm going to have to get my kilt altered... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.