I Will Stay In the House Of My Father Until The End

“I’m not a criminal”. It was a strong statement that Elvira Arellano expressed through the TV news media, from her refugee at “Adalberto Memorial” United Methodist Church in Chicago, IL. Elvira has taken refuge in this church with her son Saul, 7 (American citizen), after she received an order of deportation from the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (BICE).

Elvira Arellano listens as Bishop Hee-Soo Jung of the UMC gives a statement to the media Wednesday, Aug. 16. (Photo AP).

Elvira Arellano is a Mexican immigrant who crossed the border illegally nine years ago and was arrested in 2002 during an official raid at O’Hare airport. The crime that is imputed to this woman is (in addition to her illegal entrance) to work with illegal SSN. This it is the drama of millions of people who live in the United States and that, instead of robbing, prostituting themselves or deal drugs, they must obtain a SSN that allows them to work in order to be able to survive and to send money back to their families who live in poverty and misery.
Elvira has decided not to attend the citation for deportation, although she clarifies that she is not a fugitive because everyone knows where she is: “I am not going away like a cowardly one, because I am not a criminal. I remain to wait for the decision that God has for me”. Many people begin to compare the brave attitude of this young mother, with the legendary Rosa Parks, who also broke the law when she refused to yield her seat to a white person in a public bus in 1955.
On the other hand, the Rev. Walter Coleman, pastor of the “Adalberto Memorial” United Methodist Church, offers an exemplary testimony for all the churches and Christian leaders when he offered support to this woman and her son, whose crime is to break laws that do not allow her “to work honestly”.
“I must follow the law of God in the first place”, said Rev. Coleman to the television. At the same time he made a call to all Christian denominations to retake the “Sanctuary Movement”. This movement welcomed Central American refugees who fled from the violence generated by the civil wars (in which governments, guerrilla groups and the government of the United States were the main actors) who took place in Central America in the decades of the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s. The Presbyterian Church was part of this movement and some of their leaders and pastors suffered imprisonment and repression because they offered support to the ones that needed it.
More than 12 million people live in this uncertainty, without knowing when they are going to be arrested and to be turned into criminals by infringing the laws that prohibit them to work honestly, while the legislators spend their time in political maneuvers and legal traps to evade a logical and right migratory reform. The obsolescence of the migratory system puts under the illegality millions of people who work day to day in many areas of our society. Praise God for the bravery shown by Elvira and for her love to her son, which will be a testimony of faith for those who put the law before love and reason.
Rev. Walter Coleman, pastor 
of the “Adalberto Memorial” 
United Methodist Church (Photo AP).