Elvira Arellano
Encyclopedia
Elvira Arellano Elvira Arellano (San Miguel Curahuango, Michoacán, 1975) is a Mexican mother and immigrant, who has become a symbol of the struggle for the rights of undocumented immigrants in the U.S., mostly indigenous, native, Latinos.
Elvira Arellano was deported on August 20, 2007 for living in the U.S. without immigration documents, and after taking refuge at the United Methodist Church of Adaberto on Division Street, in Chicago, where she remained for 12 months.
She was arrested in Los Angeles by ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) agents, when she went to lecture at the church Our Lady Queen of Angels. Her son Saul remained in the U.S. but later on he joined his mother in Mexico.
On August 29, 2007, Elvira Arellano asked Mexican President Felipe Calderon to request the U.S. government for a special visa to visit her son, and called for assistance to the 600,000 Mexican mothers who are in similar circumstances, as well as the 12 million undocumented immigrants in the U.S.
Elvira Arellano has been unable to return to U.S. and she lives in the Mexican state of Michoacan, where she has created the organization La Familia Latina Unida - Sin Fronteras (Latina Family United - Without Borders), which supports families divided by mass deportations in the U.S. and Central American immigrants detained or affected by the violence in Mexico.
. In 1999, she gave birth to a son, Saul Arellano, whose father remains unnamed by Elvira. Saul is a United States citizen. In 2000, Arellano moved to Chicago
and worked as a cleaning woman at O'Hare International Airport
. In 2002, following a post-September 11
security sweep, she was arrested and convicted of Social Security fraud. Arellano was ordered to appear before immigration authorities on August 15, 2006. On that date she took refuge in the Adalberto United Methodist church in the Humboldt Park
area of Chicago
, which maintained it was a sanctuary for undocumented immigrants. Before that, she sought safe haven for a year in Amor De Dios United Methodist Church with Pastor José S. Landaverde, who begun the new immigrant sanctuary movement in Illinois.
On November 14, 2006, in Mexico City, Saul Arellano appeared before the Congress of Mexico
. The Mexican lawmakers passed a resolution to urge the United States government to suspend the deportation of Arellano and other parents of children who are United States citizens.
She was arrested on August 19, 2007 in Los Angeles
. Within hours of her arrest Arellano was repatriated to Mexico by U.S. federal agents in compliance with an existing deportation order. She was accompanied to the Mexican border by an official of the Mexican consulate in San Diego, California, as well as by agents of the U.S. government.
Critics of Arellano counter that she is exploiting
her son in order to remain in the United States. Latino
advocates have highlighted this case as one of civil rights. Arellano's claim of a "right of sanctuary
" and a claim to stay in the United States has been taken up by Latino advocate groups such as National Alliance for Immigrants' Rights
, NCLR
, LULAC, among others. In support, La Placita
, a historic Los Angeles
church, declared itself a sanctuary for any undocumented immigrant facing deportation, something it did during the 1980s for the first refugees from war-ridden Guatemala
and El Salvador
who escaped to California
.
The U.S. government's position is that Arellano is free to take Saul with her to Mexico in order to keep her family together. Prior to Arrellano's deportation, the U.S. government also noted that there is no claim to sanctuary in a church under U.S. law.
Upon her return to Mexico Arellano stated that "the United States is the one who broke the law first. By letting people cross over [the border] without documents. By letting people pay taxes. . . ."
On May 3, 2007, Rep. Bobby Rush
(D-IL), introduced H.R. 2182, which would grant legal immigrant status, with the possibility of applying for permanent residence status, to Arellano as well as 33 other people. The bill was referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary and (as of August 2007) has yet to move out of the committee.
Elvira Arellano was deported on August 20, 2007 for living in the U.S. without immigration documents, and after taking refuge at the United Methodist Church of Adaberto on Division Street, in Chicago, where she remained for 12 months.
She was arrested in Los Angeles by ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) agents, when she went to lecture at the church Our Lady Queen of Angels. Her son Saul remained in the U.S. but later on he joined his mother in Mexico.
On August 29, 2007, Elvira Arellano asked Mexican President Felipe Calderon to request the U.S. government for a special visa to visit her son, and called for assistance to the 600,000 Mexican mothers who are in similar circumstances, as well as the 12 million undocumented immigrants in the U.S.
Elvira Arellano has been unable to return to U.S. and she lives in the Mexican state of Michoacan, where she has created the organization La Familia Latina Unida - Sin Fronteras (Latina Family United - Without Borders), which supports families divided by mass deportations in the U.S. and Central American immigrants detained or affected by the violence in Mexico.
History
Arellano entered the United States illegally in 1997 and was apprehended and deported back to Mexico by the United States government. She returned within days and lived illegally for three years in OregonOregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
. In 1999, she gave birth to a son, Saul Arellano, whose father remains unnamed by Elvira. Saul is a United States citizen. In 2000, Arellano moved to Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
and worked as a cleaning woman at O'Hare International Airport
O'Hare International Airport
Chicago O'Hare International Airport , also known as O'Hare Airport, O'Hare Field, Chicago Airport, Chicago International Airport, or simply O'Hare, is a major airport located in the northwestern-most corner of Chicago, Illinois, United States, northwest of the Chicago Loop...
. In 2002, following a post-September 11
September 11, 2001 attacks
The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
security sweep, she was arrested and convicted of Social Security fraud. Arellano was ordered to appear before immigration authorities on August 15, 2006. On that date she took refuge in the Adalberto United Methodist church in the Humboldt Park
Humboldt Park, Chicago
Humboldt Park is one of 77 officially designated community areas located on the northwest side of Chicago, Illinois. The Humboldt Park neighborhood is widely known for its large Puerto Rican presence...
area of Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, which maintained it was a sanctuary for undocumented immigrants. Before that, she sought safe haven for a year in Amor De Dios United Methodist Church with Pastor José S. Landaverde, who begun the new immigrant sanctuary movement in Illinois.
On November 14, 2006, in Mexico City, Saul Arellano appeared before the Congress of Mexico
Congress of Mexico
The Congress of the Union is the legislative branch of the Mexican government...
. The Mexican lawmakers passed a resolution to urge the United States government to suspend the deportation of Arellano and other parents of children who are United States citizens.
She was arrested on August 19, 2007 in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. Within hours of her arrest Arellano was repatriated to Mexico by U.S. federal agents in compliance with an existing deportation order. She was accompanied to the Mexican border by an official of the Mexican consulate in San Diego, California, as well as by agents of the U.S. government.
Impact
Arellano says that she should not have to choose between leaving her US citizen child in the U.S. or taking him to Mexico.Critics of Arellano counter that she is exploiting
Exploitation
This article discusses the term exploitation in the meaning of using something in an unjust or cruel manner.- As unjust benefit :In political economy, economics, and sociology, exploitation involves a persistent social relationship in which certain persons are being mistreated or unfairly used for...
her son in order to remain in the United States. Latino
Latino
The demonyms Latino and Latina , are defined in English language dictionaries as:* "a person of Latin-American descent."* "A Latin American."* "A person of Hispanic, especially Latin-American, descent, often one living in the United States."...
advocates have highlighted this case as one of civil rights. Arellano's claim of a "right of sanctuary
Right of asylum
Right of asylum is an ancient juridical notion, under which a person persecuted for political opinions or religious beliefs in his or her own country may be protected by another sovereign authority, a foreign country, or church sanctuaries...
" and a claim to stay in the United States has been taken up by Latino advocate groups such as National Alliance for Immigrants' Rights
National Alliance for Immigrants' Rights
The National Alliance for Immigrants' Rights is an organization advocating legal status for all illegal immigrant workers in the United States pending Congressional enactment of a comprehensive immigration reform...
, NCLR
NCLR
The four-letter abbreviation may refer to:*National Center for Lesbian Rights*National Council of La Raza*National Conference of Law Reviews*National Council for Learning Resources*North Carolina Law Review...
, LULAC, among others. In support, La Placita
La Iglesia de Nuestra Señora Reina de los Angeles
La Iglesia de Nuestra Señora la Reina de Los Angeles is a Catholic church founded on August 18, 1814 by Fray Luis Gil y Taboada, who placed the cornerstone of a new church amid the ruins of the former "sub-mission," the Nuestra Señora Reina de los Angeles Asistencia to serve the local...
, a historic Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
church, declared itself a sanctuary for any undocumented immigrant facing deportation, something it did during the 1980s for the first refugees from war-ridden Guatemala
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
and El Salvador
El Salvador
El Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America...
who escaped to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
The U.S. government's position is that Arellano is free to take Saul with her to Mexico in order to keep her family together. Prior to Arrellano's deportation, the U.S. government also noted that there is no claim to sanctuary in a church under U.S. law.
Upon her return to Mexico Arellano stated that "the United States is the one who broke the law first. By letting people cross over [the border] without documents. By letting people pay taxes. . . ."
On May 3, 2007, Rep. Bobby Rush
Bobby Rush
Bobby Lee Rush is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1993. He is a member of the Democratic Party.The district is located principally on the South Side of Chicago. It is a minority-majority district and has a higher percentage of African Americans than any other congressional district in...
(D-IL), introduced H.R. 2182, which would grant legal immigrant status, with the possibility of applying for permanent residence status, to Arellano as well as 33 other people. The bill was referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary and (as of August 2007) has yet to move out of the committee.
See also
- Illegal immigration to the United StatesIllegal immigration to the United StatesAn illegal immigrant in the United States is an alien who has entered the United States without government permission or stayed beyond the termination date of a visa....
- Mexican AmericanMexican AmericanMexican Americans are Americans of Mexican descent. As of July 2009, Mexican Americans make up 10.3% of the United States' population with over 31,689,000 Americans listed as of Mexican ancestry. Mexican Americans comprise 66% of all Hispanics and Latinos in the United States...
- Birthright citizenship in the United States of AmericaBirthright citizenship in the United States of AmericaBirthright citizenship in the United States refers to a person's acquisition of United States citizenship by virtue of the circumstances of his or her birth. It contrasts with citizenship acquired in other ways, for example by naturalization later in life. Birthright citizenship may be conferred by...
External links
- Sanctuary Movement history on New Sanctuary Movement page
- http://www.nationalledger.com/ledgerdc/article_272615550.shtml