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zalenaSeveral months ago, a woman facing deportation took sanctuary in a Chicago Church. I saw a tiny sidebar in a newspaper and thought, "This has potential to get national attention." I showed it to my officemate, and hung up the paragraph on our bulletin board of weird and interesting news. (For example, there's an article about China's new one dog policy, which is intended to stem the tide of rabies.)
The law does not recognize "sanctuary," but it would be very bad press to drag a woman from a church to deport her. So she and her (American born) son have been living at the church since August.
I hadn't heard anything more about it, until yesterday. Her son (7) is now talking to the press, pleading on her behalf, and for American born children of immigrant parents everywhere:
http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/138479,CST-NWS-BOY16.article
One part of me realizes how ridiculous it would be to offer amnesty to anyone who has an American born child. (Not to mention the exploitative aspects of the story.) But I'm pretty "soft" on immigration anyway, and this issue bumps up against another issue I care about deeply: the rights and well being of children who also happen to be American citizens and deserve our nations full protection.
Watch for it. This story has potential to really heat up.
The law does not recognize "sanctuary," but it would be very bad press to drag a woman from a church to deport her. So she and her (American born) son have been living at the church since August.
I hadn't heard anything more about it, until yesterday. Her son (7) is now talking to the press, pleading on her behalf, and for American born children of immigrant parents everywhere:
http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/138479,CST-NWS-BOY16.article
One part of me realizes how ridiculous it would be to offer amnesty to anyone who has an American born child. (Not to mention the exploitative aspects of the story.) But I'm pretty "soft" on immigration anyway, and this issue bumps up against another issue I care about deeply: the rights and well being of children who also happen to be American citizens and deserve our nations full protection.
Watch for it. This story has potential to really heat up.
