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Aug 23, 2006 6:00 pm US/Central
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Leaders Show Support For Mom Fighting Deportation
Commissioner Proposes Cook County Become A Sanctuary For Illegal Immigrants
by Mike Parker
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
Religious and community leaders stood together on Wednesday with
Elvira Arellano, a mother and illegal immigrant who is holed up in a Chicago church fighting deportation.
CBS 2's Mike Parker reports one politician is going as far as suggesting Cook County become a sanctuary for illegal immigrants.
Inside the
Humboldt Park church in what she remains in what she hopes is sanctuary from deportation, Elvira Arellano looked on and listened as seven Latino elected officials rose to her defense.
One of them, a
Cook County Commissioner, went a step further.
"I would be introducing a resolution declaring our county, Cook County, a sanctuary for immigrants," Commissioner
Roberto Maldonado said.
Maldonado wants commissioners to declare that Cook County officially values and respects immigrants and welcomes their relocation and settlement here.
"We know that it doesn't have legalty [stet], but it has moral value that we want to convey that message," Maldonado said.
State Rep.
William Delgado (D-Chicago), who was also at the meeting, told CBS 2 later he was caught off-guard by the idea.
"I am very concerned as a state legislator not to send the wrong message to perpetuate illegal immigration," he said.
Not surprisingly, the Illinois head of the strict immigration law advocacy group, the
Minutemen, is not happy about the proposal.
"There's never been a clearer instance of a representative trying to undermine the rule of law," said
Rosanna Pulido.
(© MMVI, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)