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Chicago Pastor on Why He is Allowing Mexican Mother to Stay in Church to Avoid Deportation

by Democracy Now (reposted)
A Mexican woman has taken refuge inside a Chicago church in an attempt to defy a government deportation order. Elvira Arellano has been living in the Adalberto United Methodist Church since last Tuesday -- the day she was supposed to surrender to authorities. We go to Chicago to speak with Arellano from inside the church as well as the Rev. Walter Coleman, the pastor of the church.
We go now to Chicago, where a battle for immigrant rights is gaining national attention. A Mexican woman has taken refuge inside a Chicago church in an attempt to defy a government deportation order. Elvira Arellano has been living in the Adalberto United Methodist Church since last Tuesday -- the day she was supposed to surrender to authorities. Arellano is president of United Latino Family, a group that lobbies for families that could be split by deportation. She was born in Mexico and came to the country as an undocumented immigrant. Her seven-year-old son, Saul, was born in the United States and is a U.S. citizen.

A rally was held Sunday in Chicago to support Elvira. One of those rallying to her cause is immigrant rights activist Emma Lozano of Pueblo Sin Fronteras.

* Emma Lozano, immigrant rights activist with Pueblo Sin Fronteras speaking in Chicago.

US Immigration and Customs enforcement officials have said Arellano is now considered a fugitive. ICE spokersperson Tim Counts said "We will take action at the time and place of our choosing."

* Elvira Arellano, she joins us on the line now from the Chicago church where she's taken refuge.
* Rev. Walter Coleman, pastor at the Adalberto United Methodist Church in Chicago.

LISTEN ONLINE:
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=06/08/22/1421217
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