LatinaLista — Tomorrow, May 1, is the anniversary of the massive immigration marches that have taken place over the last couple of years. While not even the Latino community is exactly sure how many will turn up yet again to walk in support of undocumented immigrants, it seems the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is not taking any chances.
Latina Lista has received word that officials of the Adalberto United Methodist Church in Chicago, which gave sanctuary to Elvira Arellano and now houses another undocumented immigrant, 27-year-old Flor Crisostomo, are bracing for the arrival of representatives from the US Marshall’s office.
Rev. Walter Coleman of the Adalberto United Methodist Church told Latina Lista that he and his colleagues received word over the weekend from a credible government source that DHS had handed the case over to the U.S. Marshall’s office so they can obtain and execute a warrant for Crisostomo’s arrest.
Rev. Coleman says that this move by DHS is predictable as it seems to follow a pattern in which on the eve of a large mobilization like the May 1 marches, DHS makes a high-profile arrest. Unsure if DHS is trying to intimidate or reinforce their authority, Rev. Coleman says he and his colleagues intend to “stand firm” against whatever the government has in mind to do.
Rev. Coleman, along with members of the Familia Latina Unida/Sin Fronteras, plan to hold a noon time press conference today to answer questions about the DHS action.
As a special favor to Latina Lista, Rev. Coleman has released the following statement which will be read at the noon press conference:
We have called this press conference because we have been informed through what we believe to be reliable sources that Homeland Security has or is preparing to turn over the case of Flor Crisostomos to the U.S. Marshals. This, we have been informed, is being done so that the U.S. Marshals can get a warrant to enter this church and arrest her.
This action by Homeland Security, on the eve of May 1st marches across the country follows the pattern they have adopted for the last three years. It is an effort to intimidate the community. It is also an effort, we have been informed, to stop the spread of the sanctuary movement that has gained support in churches throughout the nation.
We stand with Flor. She has taken sanctuary to make America see that 12 million people will not self-deport and that the terrorizing of families and children and whole communities is senseless and inhuman.
Flor has taken her stand to make America see that 12 million will not self-deport because they must feed their children – here and in the countries that this nation has devastated with its policies of so called free trade.
We call on the President of the United States, in his last few months in office to recognize the will of the great majority of the people and call a moratorium on the raids, deportations and separation of families. We call on him to respect the sanctity of the church and the non-violent witness of civil disobedience against an unjust and broken law.
We call on people to join us tomorrow at Union Park at 12 noon and march with us to Federal Plaza at 1:30 in a “March of Courageâ€, a march to make this government in Washington recognize the will of the new peoples majority in this nation.
Comment(13)
Daniel
She has taken sanctuary to make America see that 12 million people will not self-deport…
12 mil undocs are not dependent on one person.
I’m empathetic, especially with Elvira Arrellano because I was just like her son.
But sanctuary can only help 1 person when it is the greater good that is at stake.
It should be made clear that a sanctuary city and a sanctuary church are two different things.
Flor Crisostomos’ arrest, if it does occur, will be a sad, horrible thing but it shouldn’t have any effect on the marchas.
Frank
It would have been nice if Rev. Coleman would have provided proof that the great majority of Americans want the raids and deportation of illegals stopped. He can’t because it is nothing but lies. Either way, ICE is doing the job that they are supposed to be doing. Respect our immigration laws or suffer the consequences. We are not the Mexican people’s keepers or any others who enter our country illegally, no matter what their excuses are.
EYES OF TEXAS
“government in Washington recnogize the will of the new peoples majority in this nation.”
What the hell does that mean? Are illegal aliens and their supporters now claiming to be the majority in this nation? If so, they better do another head count. The majority of citizens in this nation are for borders, language and culture and want the masses of illegal aliens removed, or forced to remove themselves. When a religion (churches) starts playing with politics and the law, they should have their tax exempt status removed immediately. Laws in this country, like them or not, must be enforced to prevent people from taking advantage of outdated practices like church santuaries.
laura
In Nazi Germany, it was also a few brave individuals, some of whom were pastors, who resisted the violence of the regime and its supporters. Some Jews were saved this way, and Israel now has a memorial to those “Righteous Ones.”
Several very large American Jewish organizations, among them the Anti-Defamation League, have recognized the parallels between Nazi Germany and today’s persecution of undocumented migrants in this country, and called for a halt to the violence.
One day, we will have a memorial for our Righteous Ones. Reverend Coleman will be in it.
In the meantime, given the difficulty and terror under which my undocumented friends live, I am marching for them tomorrow. I am not expecting them to be out on the street in physical person. But they will be there – carried in my heart.
mayanmx
What little people must try to intimate civil, non-violent protest marches by going into a CHURCH to take out a person who is a symbol of 12 million undocumented people who have lived here to the benefit of companies with cheap labor and customers with cheap goods? What two faced nation we are to do this in this way.
Separation of church and state? How is it the only diplomat the president goes to the airport to meet is the Pope? How can the president run raids while the POPE is talking to him about humanity towards immigrants? Wow, if someone wanted the church separated from the state these past eight years, then global warming would have been real long ago. Just yesterday, it was reported how many administration officials thwarted or blocked scientific studies and results because it did jibe with their religious reality. The separation of church and state ended eight years ago, no reason to suddenly claim that protection now. How pathetic to rip a person out of a church. Oh, wow, big men!
Frank
Persecution, terror? Mighty big words to use on those in our country illegally. What did they expect…the red carpet? All criminals should live in fear of getting caught and have justice served on them.
Why don’t you try carrying your fellow American citizens in your heart instead of illegal foreingers?
What is it with this BS comparing the enforcing of our immigration laws to Nazism? Just how far are you going to stretch the truth? It makes you look so foolish.
antunes
The couple of comments by people in favor of ICE policies and deportation, in addition to their racism and unfounded fear of cultural diversity, fail entirely to see the message clearly expressed by Flor Crisostomo’s struggle: that people should have the RIGHT to live lives with dignity in their countries of origin, that immigrants from south of the border come forced by an economic system that excludes them, and that US government and US citizens are co-responsible; that if US citizens are truly concerned about immigration, they should demand of their government to revise economic policies like NAFTA, which are destroying people’s capacity to survive and driving millions to despair. They should demand their government to stop programs like Plan Mexico (Merida Initiative), which will pour millions of dollars to the Mexican military, and further repress social movements that are struggling against the very conditions of poverty and exclusion that force people to migrate. Citizens like the above, if they are truly concerned about their country and the issue of migration, must understand their own responsibility and act accordingly, rather than continuing to pat themselves on the back with self-righteous, racist assertions that do nothing but promote hatred and intolerance, while millions of people continue to be driven out of their homelands because of the very policies promoted by this government.
Frank
Apparently, you haven’t researched the net loss that illegal immigration actually is to our country. Your cheap goods aren’t so cheap when you consider that our taxes are having to subsidize the illegal alien’s social costs. Not to mention the overcrowding of our schools, jail, hospitals, roads, etc. Then there is the depletion of our natural resources to consider also and lowering of wages and loss of American jobs. The dilution of our culture by non-assimilating Spanish speakers. Need I go on?
It is only employers who are benefiting from the cheap labor not the taxpayer. Our government officials may be two faced but we regular everyday working Americans are not and we didn’t invite them here. We want our immigraton laws respected and enforced and we will be seeing that they are.
Grandma
Since today, May 1, really is LAW DAY (for 50 years), what a perfect day to arrest her.
sovereignty
The illegal aliens have come to American to REFORM AMERICAN LAWS.
THE CHURCH THAT’S HARBORING THE ILLEGAL WOMAN SHOULD LOSE ALL GOVERNMENT FUNDING!
F. Metz
It is a sad day for America when our churches abuse our laws. We are humans and humans must have and obey laws.
It is not fair for those of us who came here legally nor is it fair to the American citizens.
All illegals should be ashamed. All churches who harbor illegals should be ashamed.
God Bless America..We need it!
Ex_OC
To Laura:
The Jews were being harbored correctly because the consequence of being found was DEATH BY GAS CHAMBER.
No one is going to kill Flor Crisostomo. Deportation is not death.
You see the BIG DIFFERENCE?
You will be waiting for hell to freeze over if Rev. Coleman is to be in your Righteous Ones memorial. There is nothing righteous about him. He is like Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson — media provocateurs who want more than 15 mins of fame for narcissistic reasons.
Horace
It should be evident by now that the sanctuary movement lacks much support in this country. States and local communities continue to enact ordinances and laws in spite of these anarchist preachers.
Although they’ve tried to make this a new civil rights movement, black folk are not on board in any significant numbers. And why should they, as they have nothing in common these foreigners. People like Bob Hing and Kevin Johnson continue to refer to civil rights when it comes to illegal immigrants, but they never define the emphermeral right they’re referring to. It certainly can’t be found in the Constitution. Such a right is a contrivance of illegal alien advocates.
Left wing immigration lawyers have contrived to make open borders a human right, but have little support from Americans or in any other part of the world for that matter. The abject failure of the marches demonstrate this.
Some Latin Americans demand open borders, but it would be a one way street, only applying to the U.S., so they cannot be taken seriously. The Latin American nations have no support whatsoever for the dissolution of sovereign borders from any other part of the world, further undermining their position.
Colemen is insultingly patronizing. NAFTA is a treaty, and as far as I can recall, treaties are mutual agreements between nations. If Mexico has been hurt by this treaty, so has the U.S. If we dislike the affects of NAFTA, we, as citizens can blame our own politicians, not Mexico. To blame the U.S. solely for the negative affects of NAFTA is paternalistic, saying that the people of Mexico are incapable of governing their own nation.
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