Elvira Arellano Facts for Kids

Elvira Arellano (born in San Miguel Curahuango, Michoacán, Mexico, in 1975) is an activist who works to protect the rights of immigrants in the United States. She helps families stay together, especially those who do not have legal permission to live in the U.S.

In 2002, while living in Chicago, Elvira Arellano was arrested by immigration officials. This happened because she was working without proper authorization at O'Hare International Airport. In 2001, she helped start a group called La Familia Latina Unida (which means "The United Latino Family"). This group works to keep immigrant families from being separated by deportation. In May 2006, she and another activist, Flor Crisostomo, went on a three-week hunger strike to protest against people being deported.

Elvira Arellano became well-known in August 2006 when she sought "sanctuary" in a church in Chicago. She did this to try and avoid being deported away from her son, Saul, who was born in the U.S. Her actions inspired churches across the country to start a new movement to protect immigrants and stop deportations. Time magazine even included her in their "People Who Mattered" list in December 2006. About a year after she entered the church, Elvira Arellano was arrested by immigration agents during a visit to Los Angeles. She had gone there to speak at a church. She was deported on August 20, 2007.

Her son, Saul, stayed in the U.S. but visited her in Mexico. Elvira Arellano continued her work for migrant rights in Mexico. She worked with La Familia Latina Unida - Sin Fronteras (Latina Family United - Without Borders). This group supports families divided by U.S. deportations. They also help Central American immigrants who are held or affected by violence in Mexico.

On March 18, 2014, Arellano went to U.S. Border Patrol officials at the Otay Mesa border crossing in San Diego, California. She asked for asylum in the United States. Since then, she has lived in Chicago. She continues her work defending human rights while her asylum case is being decided.

Elvira's Journey and Activism
Impact of Elvira's Actions
See also

Elvira's Journey and Activism

Early Life and Moving to the U.S.

Elvira Arellano first came to the United States without permission in 1997. She was caught by the U.S. government and sent back to Mexico. However, she returned to the U.S. within a few days, again without permission. She lived in Oregon for three years. In 1999, her son, Saul Arellano, was born. Saul is a citizen of the United States. In 2000, Elvira moved to Chicago. She worked cleaning at O'Hare International Airport.

Facing Deportation and Seeking Sanctuary

In 2002, after new security checks following the September 11 events, Elvira was arrested. She was found to be working without proper authorization. She was told to appear before immigration authorities on August 15, 2006. On that day, she found safety in the Adalberto United Methodist Church in the Humboldt Park area of Chicago. Before this, she had sought help for a year at the Amor De Dios United Methodist Church. Pastor José S. Landaverde at that church had started the new immigrant sanctuary movement in Illinois.

Support from Mexico and Deportation

On November 14, 2006, in Mexico City, Elvira's son, Saul Arellano, spoke before the Congress of Mexico. Mexican lawmakers then passed a resolution. They asked the United States government to stop the deportation of Elvira and other parents of U.S. citizen children.

Despite this, Elvira was arrested on August 19, 2007, in Los Angeles. Within hours of her arrest, U.S. federal agents sent her back to Mexico. This was done to follow an existing deportation order. An official from the Mexican consulate in San Diego, California, went with her to the Mexican border. U.S. government agents were also present.

On August 29, 2007, Elvira Arellano asked Mexican President Felipe Calderon to request a special visa from the U.S. government so she could visit her son. She also asked for help for the 600,000 Mexican mothers in similar situations. She also spoke up for the 12 million immigrants in the U.S. who do not have legal documents.

In February 2008, Elvira Arellano was not allowed to enter Canada. She had planned to speak at a public event in Vancouver about sanctuary and migrant justice. She also wanted to join a march at the U.S. border.

Impact of Elvira's Actions

Different Views on Her Case

Elvira Arellano has said that she should not have to choose between leaving her U.S. citizen child in the U.S. or taking him to Mexico. Some people who disagree with Elvira say that she was using her son to try and stay in the United States. However, groups that support Latino rights have pointed to her case as an important civil rights issue.

The Sanctuary Movement

Elvira's idea of a "right of sanctuary" and her claim to stay in the United States has been supported by many Latino advocacy groups. These include the National Alliance for Immigrants' Rights, NCLR, and LULAC. In support of her cause, La Placita, a historic church in Los Angeles, declared itself a sanctuary for any immigrant without documents facing deportation. This church had done something similar in the 1980s for refugees from war-torn Guatemala and El Salvador who came to California.

The U.S. government's position has been that Elvira was free to take Saul with her to Mexico to keep her family together. Before Elvira's deportation, the U.S. government also stated that there is no legal right to sanctuary in a church under U.S. law.

Elvira's Return to Mexico and Later Actions

After she returned to Mexico, Elvira Arellano said that "the United States is the one who broke the law first. By letting people cross over [the border] without documents. By letting people pay taxes. . . ." These comments led to some discussion.

In May 2007, a U.S. Representative, Bobby Rush (D-IL), introduced a bill (H.R. 2182). This bill would have given legal immigrant status to Elvira Arellano and 33 other people. It also offered the chance to apply for permanent residence. However, this bill did not move forward in Congress.

Elvira Arellano facts for kids

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