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Exactly one year ago, on August 19, 2007, Elvira Arellano, a Mexican citizen, was arrested in downtown Los Angeles for being in the US without papers. She was separated from her 8 year old son, Saul, a US citizen and deported back to Mexico within hours. Arellano gained national fame for taking sanctuary at the Adalberto United Methodist church in Chicago after getting orders to appear before immigration authorities. About a year earlier, Elivira’s son Saul, testified before the Mexican Congress about his mother’s situation, leading the government of Mexico to pass a resolution urging the US to suspend the deportation of Arellano and other parents of children who are US citizens. Meanwhile, a silent network of people across the US, particularly in churches and other places of worship, are organizing places of sanctuary for undocumented immigrants, even as government raids and other forms of targeting continue unabated. For example, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency announced earlier this month, a program by which immigrants without papers can deport themselves. Yes, you heard right – federal immigration officials want people to voluntarily kick themselves out as part of a pilot program in five cities across the nation. As of now, 6 people out of half a million eligible have reportedly taken ICE up on the offer.

GUEST: Micaela Saucedo, Director of Casa Refugio Elvira Arellano

For more information, please email casarefugioelvira@gmail.com