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Aug. 23, 2007
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Group urges 'sanctuary city' to help illegal immigrants

Churches called upon to play leading role

By LYNNETTE CURTIS
REVIEW-JOURNAL

Evelyn Flores, right, and Ivette Sanchez of the United Coalition for Immigrant Rights take questions Wednesday at a news conference at St. Anne Catholic Church. With them is the Rev. Roger Doronzo.
Photo by K.M. Cannon.

A local Hispanic advocacy group on Wednesday called on Las Vegas Valley churches to band together to help create a "sanctuary city" for illegal immigrants seeking to avoid deportation.

"We want to be a city in which we fight for and support the rights of immigrants, because we depend on them," said Evelyn Flores, a community organizer for the United Coalition for Immigrant Rights, one of the groups that helped organize some of last year's local protest marches in support of sympathetic federal immigration reform.

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    • The group's brief news conference in both English and Spanish at St. Anne Catholic Church was inspired by the case of Elvira Arellano, an illegal immigrant who took refuge in a Chicago church for a year to avoid deportation and separation from her young U.S.-born son. Arellano was deported to Mexico on Sunday after being arrested near a Los Angeles church.

    "She is just one example, one symbol of how families are being destroyed and being separated by unjust immigration laws," Flores said. "We are here today to call for an end to it."

    Flores said the group has begun "a dialogue, a conversation with churches across the valley."

    But no church has yet pledged its support for the idea, she said.

    St. Anne simply agreed to let the group use the church for a news conference, an official there said.

    The group's "sanctuary city" idea for churches is not the same as the so-called "sanctuary cities" that have adopted policies discouraging municipal workers, including police, from asking for individuals' immigration status and reporting illegal immigrants to federal authorities.

    Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who is a Republican candidate for president, recently criticized the "sanctuary policies" of "cities like Newark, San Francisco and New York" in a campaign radio ad, saying such policies encourage illegal immigration.

    Dozens of communities nationwide have adopted such sanctuary policies, according to the Congressional Research Service.

    Asked whether the group planned also to approach city leaders about creating a "sanctuary city," Flores said it would "address and pursue any avenue" to stop the separation of families.

    Sen. Bob Beers, R-Las Vegas, said the idea of offering sanctuary to illegal immigrants "gives immigrants a bad name."

    "The issue is not immigration," he said. "The issue is illegal immigration. It sounds like from their (the group's) name, they're failing to make that distinction."

    Arellano had been deported from the United States once before. She returned, was arrested in 2002 and was convicted of working under a false Social Security number.

    She was ordered to surrender to immigration authorities after serving several years of probation but instead took refuge at a Chicago church in August 2006.

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    RavenSoft wrote on August 28, 2007 08:19 PM: KKK???

    You are totally grasping for straws James R.

    People who want the laws enforced are compared to being KKK members?

    The laws should be enforced PERIOD.


    James R. wrote on August 28, 2007 12:30 AM: this looks like a page ran by the kkk
    is this what america has become?
    what a shame


    Money Trees wrote on August 26, 2007 11:02 AM: This is Unbelieveable. This group should not exist, and is an offense to Americans. Go back to Mexico, and stop ruining our country day by day... little by little.


    Bill McKillop wrote on August 24, 2007 12:41 AM: Any immigrant who enters the country illegally should be deported, as should any children born to illegals.

    Evidence gained illegally is not permitted in court. Those children are "fruit of the poisonous tree" as defined by the court system.

    There are plenty of legal immigrants, both here and waiting to get here, to fill any jobs that citizens don't want.


    GOD wrote on August 23, 2007 08:11 PM: I would like to help the illegals here in Las Vegas. I am purchasing 100,000 compasses and would like them to head south.

    Question --- why are there no gardens or landscapping in Mexico, but every Mexican becomes an expert once they cross the border??


    RavenSoft wrote on August 23, 2007 07:32 PM: "We want to be a city in which we fight for and support the rights of immigrants, because we depend on them," said Evelyn Flores, a community organizer for the United Coalition for Immigrant Rights.

    Legal immigrants have full rights in this country by applicable laws.

    ILLEGAL, NOT LEGAL, here against the law ALIENS do NOT and should NOT have the same rights as legal immigrants besides basic human rights.

    I just don't understand how people can fight to be able to break the laws of the United States. How can you logically say that ILLEGAL ALIENS have the right to be here and have full rights?

    I am all for LEGAL immigrants coming to the United States to have the same opportunities as me. I have NO compassion for ILLEGAL ALIENS PERIOD.

    Anyone or any place found harboring an illegal alien should be HEAVILY regulated by the Federal Government.

    As for "separation of families" the law needs to be rewritten to stop the practice of a baby born on US soil is automatically a citizen. If the mother is an illegal then the baby should also be an illegal. I'd be ok with providing neccessary medical care for the childbirth but then deport them both to their home country. Anyone who thinks the ILLEGAL ALIEN mother doesn't know about the possibllity of the "separation of families" is a joke.

    The Mexican government should be FORCED to fix their country and stop screwing their citizens making them come here illegally. Also money sent from here back to Mexico should be taxed. We shouldn't have to fix Mexico's problems.


    DICK JACKSON wrote on August 23, 2007 07:27 PM: IF THE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS FEEL THEY NEED SANCTUARY CITIES SET UP FOR THEM, I WOULD BE IN FAVOR OF THEM,,, I WOULD SAY GO AHEAD AND DO IT, AS LONG AS THE CITIES WERE DEVELOPED DEEP IN THE HEART OF THEIR HOME LAND,,,,SUCH AS, MEXICANS IN MEXICO, AND EACH NATIONALITY COULD GO BACK HOME. THAT WAY THEIR OWN GOVERNMENT COULD PROVIDE FOR THEM. THIS WOULD TAKE THE BURDEN OFF THE AMERICAN TAXPAYERS.


    Joe C wrote on August 23, 2007 07:09 PM: Hey Peedro,
    I can understand why you would want to call this country your home as we have seen what you and yours did to your home country. Not much to be proud of.

    The votes are in Peedro and your backing your garbage bag of belongings back to Mexico. What’s the translation for ICE in Spanish?


    Pedro wrote on August 23, 2007 05:58 PM: We are going to your home John!!
    Tu casa es mi casa!!!!JaJaJaJa
    Vote for Pedro!!!!


    John wrote on August 23, 2007 05:32 PM: ILLEGALS GO HOME!


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