LOS ANGELES - An illegal immigrant who sought sanctuary in a Chicago church for a year to avoid deportation and separation from her 8-year-old American son was arrested Sunday, the church's pastor said.
Elvira Arellano was arrested before 3 p.m. outside Our Lady Queen of Angels church on L.A.'s historic Olvera Street where she had been speaking to reporters, said the Rev. Walter Coleman, pastor of Adalberto United Methodist Church in Chicago where she sought sanctuary.
Coleman said he was with Arellano when she was detained, but declined to provide other details.
"We're trying to determine her situation right now," he said.
It was unclear what law enforcement agency had taken Arellano into custody.
A call to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement was not immediately returned.
The 32-year-old Arellano arrived in Los Angeles on Saturday, leaving her sanctuary for the first time in a year to campaign for immigration reform.
Arellano has become a symbol of the struggles of illegal immigrant parents and a source of controversy. She had said Saturday she was not afraid of being taken into custody by immigration agents.
"From the time I took sanctuary the possibility has existed that they arrest me in the place and time they want," she said in Spanish. "I only have two choices. I either go to my country, Mexico, or stay and keep fighting. I decided to stay and fight."
Arellano came to Washington state illegally in 1997. She was deported to Mexico shortly after, but returned and moved to Illinois in 2000, taking 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.
She sought refuge at the storefront church on Chicago's West Side Aug. 15, 2006. She had not left the church property until deciding to be driven to Los Angeles, Coleman said.Elvira Arellano was arrested before 3 p.m. outside Our Lady Queen of Angels church on L.A.'s historic Olvera Street where she had been speaking to reporters, said the Rev. Walter Coleman, pastor of Adalberto United Methodist Church in Chicago where she sought sanctuary.
Coleman said he was with Arellano when she was detained, but declined to provide other details.
"We're trying to determine her situation right now," he said.
It was unclear what law enforcement agency had taken Arellano into custody.
A call to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement was not immediately returned.
The 32-year-old Arellano arrived in Los Angeles on Saturday, leaving her sanctuary for the first time in a year to campaign for immigration reform.
Arellano has become a symbol of the struggles of illegal immigrant parents and a source of controversy. She had said Saturday she was not afraid of being taken into custody by immigration agents.
"From the time I took sanctuary the possibility has existed that they arrest me in the place and time they want," she said in Spanish. "I only have two choices. I either go to my country, Mexico, or stay and keep fighting. I decided to stay and fight."
Arellano came to Washington state illegally in 1997. She was deported to Mexico shortly after, but returned and moved to Illinois in 2000, taking 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.
She sought refuge at the storefront church on Chicago's West Side Aug. 15, 2006. She had not left the church property until deciding to be driven to Los Angeles, Coleman said.
2007-08-19 13:22:11 · 24 answers · asked by Zoe 4 in Politics & Government ➔ Immigration
If she wanted to stay with her son so badly she should have taken him with her to Mexico.
I'm glad she is finally going to be deported (after any jail time) and if her son stays here he'll be better off staying with someone who doesn't need to live in a church.
2007-08-19 13:34:16 · answer #1 · answered by drixnot2 2 · 9⤊ 4⤋
I think it was good that they deported her, there are so many immigrants that are illegal and they get deported, i don't see why they took so long with this woman, she's no different, so it wouldn't have been fair to let her stay in this country illegally, especially if she stole someone else's social security number, or whatever she did, she said she wasn't a criminal, well stealing something that isn't urs is a crime. i don't see what the big deal was, she's illegal, all they had to do was just deport her, i knew sooner or later she would get sent back to Mexico.
2007-08-19 16:30:00 · answer #2 · answered by Claudette Leon 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
She's an illegal alien. Deport her. Leftist news outlets need to stop trying to make a martyr out of her, and the church that provided her with shelter should be investigated on suspicion of providing aid and comfort to the enemy.
2007-08-20 16:03:08 · answer #3 · answered by trentrockport 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ahhh yes, it is about time ! The (hide out) church she stayed in should be fined or shut down! That is aiding and abetting! One down and millions to go. Send the deportation costs to her native country, then maybe they will start to help with the problem. Viva America!!!!
2016-05-17 11:07:10 · answer #4 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Arresting her was the right thing to do, but I do feel saddest for her son, but if she was really concerned about her son, and did not put her political ambitions on parade, stayed in the church and raised the son in peace and quiet she and her son would have been better off
PS Does the dog have to go back too
2007-08-19 14:07:38 · answer #5 · answered by jean 7 · 4⤊ 2⤋
There had better not be an expedited anything except to get her out of the country! I dont' care if it will upset the latino community. She has been here illegally all this time and should never be given the right to come back. She broke our laws and should be punished accordingly. NOt by giving her a green card!
2007-08-19 13:38:54 · answer #6 · answered by gem753 3 · 6⤊ 4⤋
I am happy that they arrested the cowardly, illegal criminal alien, and I hope she ends up doing time as a felon, and then is deported. No more slapping us legal citizens in the face from that illegal.
She is not an activist, she is a COWARD that did not want to face the criminal system for what she did.
2007-08-19 13:44:10 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 5⤊ 4⤋
She broke the law and is a felon...she will be deported, there is nothing to celebrate people...nothing...she is just a woman criminal is all...she has to be held accountable just like any other felon...
2007-08-19 13:35:46 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 9⤊ 0⤋
Not only was she a criminal (here illegally), she was apparently stupid too by leaving the only place where she could be free from capture. She chose to break the law twice and is fully responsible for the separation from her child. No tears from me and hopefully, good riddance.
Rainman: I said it before and got a lot of thumbs down, but a mined border would be as effective and much cheaper.
2007-08-19 13:57:31 · answer #9 · answered by Caninelegion 7 · 3⤊ 5⤋
they should have arrested that bum Slim Coleman while they were at; he's a fraud and opportunist just trying to capitalize on the situation; this shows how out of touch with reality the pro-illegal crowd and the illegal aliens are: they break the law and they get arrested, how shocking.
2007-08-19 14:01:01 · answer #10 · answered by illinipower 2 · 4⤊ 4⤋