Lou Dobbs says that calling illegal immigrants undocumented workers is like calling a drug dealer an unlicensed pharmacist. And we don't want any unlicensed pharmacists giving us prescription drugs now do we? Well, a Mexican woman who became a lightning rod for pro-immigration activists when she sought sanctuary in a Chicago church was arrested in Los Angeles and deported because she was a fugitive. Now I don't have a problem with people going through legal channels to become a citizen, but the stir over this lady really doesn't make sense.
The Immigration and Customs Enforcement has a sworn duty to ensure that our nation's immigration laws are applied fairly and without regard for a person's ability to generate public support. Elvira Arellano, 32, was taken into custody by ICE agents near downtown Los Angeles and was transported to the border crossing at San Ysidro, where she was turned over to Mexican immigration officials late Sunday.
Arellano and her son Saul, 8, who is a U.S. citizen, were in Los Angeles to press for changes in immigration laws and were staying at La Placita Church. She has been struggling to avoid deportation to avoid being separated from her son -- saying immigration raids unfairly break up families that have a mix of legal and illegal residents. Arellano was given the option of taking her son with her, but she declined.Now let's get out the old dictionary and look at a few definitions and see what applies in this case.
Illegal is used to describe something that is prohibited or not authorized by law or, more generally, by rules specific to a particular situation. She illegally returned to the United States, a felony under federal law, which is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison," Hayes said. "In 2002, ICE agents arrested Miss Arellano at Chicago's O'Hare airport, where she was working illegally for a janitorial business whose employees had access to secure areas of the airport." Think about that for a second. doesn't that scare you?
Fugitive A fugitive is a person who is fleeing from custody, whether it be from private slavery, a government arrest, government or non-government questioning, vigilante violence, or outraged private individuals. Arellano defied an order to report to the Department of Homeland Security on Aug. 15, 2006, to be deported. Instead, she took refuge in the Adalberto United Methodist Church in the Humboldt Park area of Chicago, which became a center for the New Sanctuary Movement, which is recruiting churches around the country to harbor illegal immigrants.
Illegal immigration refers to immigration across national borders in a way that violates the immigration laws of the destination country. Under this definition, an illegal immigrant is a foreigner who either illegally crossed an international political border, be it by land, sea or air, or a foreigner who legally entered a country but nevertheless overstay their visa in order to live and/or work therein. Elvira illegally returned to the United States, a felony under federal law, which is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison.
Sanctuary a church or other sacred place where fugitives were formerly entitled to immunity from arrest. Arellano defied an order to report to the Department of Homeland Security on Aug. 15, 2006, to be deported. Instead, she took refuge in the Adalberto United Methodist Church in the Humboldt Park area of Chicago, which became a center for the New Sanctuary Movement, which is recruiting churches around the country to harbor illegal immigrants.
Criminal a person guilty or convicted of a crime. Elvira was arrested in 2002 and later convicted of working under a false Social Security number.
I am overjoyed that the immigration authorities did their job. The church should not be a sanctuary to a criminal and she was a criminal. I'm not against immigrants...just illegal ones. We have good immigrants, who want to work hard at being an American citizen and not out stealing social security numbers. Many of them are making a positive contribution to the United States. Why should we label this woman a positive voice and role model? I think they need to find a better role-model to elevate for the cause of Immigration Rights.
Arellano barely speaks English (our national language) and has been here for 10 years! What's up with that? She has been quoted as saying, I only have two choices. I either go to my country, Mexico, or stay and keep fighting." Well guess what chickey? You got your wish and got deported to YOUR country. Where you are a citizen. Now you can go and apply for the proper papers and do what most people have to do to become an American citizen. I know a girl from Canada who's Work Visa will expire in a year and it has been a living hell for her to try to become a citizen. But she is going about it in every legal way possible. That's how the system is set up and that's how it's supposed to be!
According to a written report on Elvira Arellano's arrest, her son, 8 yrs old, was born in America. However, the report goes on to say "Arellano arrived in the U.S. in 1997 and was soon deported back to Mexico. In 2000, she returned and moved to Illinois, working at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport cleaning planes." How is her son "American-born" if she was out of our country from 1997-2000?? Curious.
Elvira Arellano is not an activist. She is a criminal and a fugitive and I'm glad that our ICE teams captured her. Hopefully, when there are protests this coming week at our Federal buildings over this, that the ICE teams are there. That is their job and they must enforce the law. This Mexican woman has taunted our authorities and has been able to stay here for nearly ten years almost undetected! This is wrong! Deport her. I don't care how hard of a worker she might be.Illegal is illegal, period. If I've got to obey the laws...then so do you. Bye Bye Elvira!
