Aug 30, 2006 5:50 pm US/Central
Group Plans Abuse Report Against Immigrant Mom
Elvira Arellano Is Hiding With Son In Church To Avoid Deportation
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
There was a new show of support Wednesday for a mother fighting her deportation to Mexico.
Supporters of Elvira Arellano prayed outside the Humboldt Park church where she has sought refuge. They protested a visit by the founder of Arizona-based Mothers Against Illegal Aliens.
The activist group previously announced plans to file a child abuse report against the woman who is hiding with her son in a Near Northwest Side church to avoid deportation.
The group,
Mothers Against Illegal Aliens, went to
Adalberto United Methodist Church, at 2716 W. Division St, in the
Humboldt Park neighborhood, to confront
Elvira Arellano and ask police to take her son into protective custody.
Michelle Dallacroce takes issue with Arellano's claim that the Constitution gives her the right to say the United States with her American-born son.
"The U.S. Fourteenth Amendment does not claim citizenship to illegal alien women's children, because … the illegal alien women are under the jurisdiction of Mexico," said Dallacroce.
"The Fourteenth Amendment clearly states that anybody born in this country is a citizen, period," said immigration attorney Rosalba Pina.
Arellano and her son moved into the church on Aug. 15, the day she was to report to immigration authorities. Since that time, she has received both support and scorn from many leaders and groups.
Arellano's 7-year-old son, Saulito, is an American citizen. She says she's staying in the U.S. to be with him.
Some officials have urged a letter-writing campaign to President Bush asking to allow Arellano to stay in the United States with her son. Among them was labor leader
Jesse Rios, who flew from Washington specially for a rally last week.
Immigration officers have said they will not enter the church to arrest Arellano, although they said earlier that they intended to apprehend Arellano at a time and place "of their choosing."
The small, un-airconditioned church where Arellano is staying has become the epicenter of the local immigration movement. It pastor is the Rev.
Walter "Slim" Coleman, who first became known in the 1980s for his work as a community activist in the
Uptown neighborhood.
(© MMVI, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
