Woman, son at eye of the storm over immigration

[harrisonsdream]

Woman, son at eye of the storm over immigration
Houston a stop on national tour pressing Congress to reform laws

By CYNTHIA LEONOR GARZA
Copyright 2007 Houston Chronicle

The arrest and deportation of single mother Elvira Arellano — who has become a polarizing international figure in the immigration debate — has reinvigorated activists pushing Congress to reform the nation's immigration laws before the next presidential election, her supporters said during a visit to Houston on Thursday.

Accompanied by the Chicago pastor and wife who are now his guardians, 8-year-old Saul Arellano visited southwest Houston's Central American Resource Center, or CRECEN, Thursday but did not want to talk to reporters, sitting quietly as activists called for laws that don't divide families.

"Through her witness, there was a human face to that struggle and she brought the risks of family unity into the midst of the debate," said the Rev. Walter Coleman, pastor of Chicago's Adalberto United Methodist Church.

Left sanctuary
Arellano had remained in the church sanctuary for more than a year before emerging last week to protest Congress' inability to pass an immigration bill and the Bush administration's recent announcement of a new crackdown on those who employ illegal immigrants. She was deported while in Los Angeles.

"Waiting until after the (2008 presidential) election would mean at least three years of suffering and millions of families suffering," Coleman said. According to the Pew Hispanic Center, there are 3.1 million U.S.-born children who have one or more parents in the country illegally.

Arellano was previously scheduled to visit Houston on Wednesday as part of a cross-country campaign that would end in a national day of action on Sept. 12 in Washington, D.C.

"We supported her decision to leave refuge because we can't keep hiding in the shadows and being anonymous," said Teodoro Aguiluz, executive director of CRECEN.

Arellano was arrested during a post-Sept. 11 sweep of Chicago's O'Hare airport, where she was working as a janitor under a fake Social Security number. She was given three years' probation and was ordered to appear in immigration court, but she took refuge in a church instead.

Access denied?
Adhemir Olguin, spokesman for the Mexican Consulate in Houston, said officials are concerned with the way Arellano was repatriated to Mexico since she asked for, but was not given, immediate consular access, as is required under a bilateral agreement.

Reaction in Houston to Arellano's deportation and her position as a symbol within the movement has been mixed, said CRECEN spokeswoman Maria Jimenez, "from anger and sadness at the actions of the government, but there's also criticism of Elvira herself. A lot of people feel like she should take her child and go back to Mexico." Others "feel that she did the right thing in fighting for the rights of her child."

Mexican media reported Wednesday that Arellano was seeking accommodations to bring her son to Mexico. Emma Lozano, Coleman's wife, said for now Saul will return to Chicago to begin the school year.