Immigrant sanctuary gains popularity in Arizona

On her 27th day of living in a tiny room at a Tucson church known for pioneering the popular immigrant sanctuary movement in the 1980s, Rosa Robles Loreto swept a courtyard, prayed with a group of parishioners and greeted her uniformed son fresh off his baseball practice.

Immigrant sanctuary gains popularity in Arizona 628x471

Immigrant sanctuary gains popularity in Arizona 628x471

Robles Loreto is a 41-year-old immigrant who lacks legal status and is facing deportation after getting pulled over for a traffic infraction four years ago. She has vowed to remain in Southside Presbyterian Church until federal immigration authorities grant her leniency.

Robles Loreto is the third immigrant to take sanctuary in a church this year in Arizona, reviving a popular movement from the 1980s that sought to help Central American migrants fleeing civil wars stay in the U.S. by letting them live inside churches, where immigration officials generally do not arrest people.

Although the latest version of the movement so far appears to have only taken place in Arizona, national immigration advocates say it's about to grow, propelled by activists hoping the sanctuary movement will draw attention to the lack of immigration reform. The Rev. Noel Andersen, a national grassroots coordinator for Church World Service, said cities such as Denver, Portland, New York and Washington D.C., are organizing and preparing for the potential of more migrants taking sanctuary in churches.

"I would say there's close to 300 congregations out there throughout the country that are willing and ready to give sanctuary when needed," Andersen said.

Daniel Neyoy Ruiz spent 21 days at the same church where Robles Loreto is currently residing before authorities relented and granted him a one-year reprieve from deportation. Luis Lopez-Acabal on Thursday moved into a church in Tempe, Arizona, also hoping to avoid deportation.

More: http://www.seattlepi.com/news/us/article/Immigrant-sanctuary-gains-popularity-in-Arizona-5743054.php

Immigrant sanctuary gains popularity in Arizona

Immigrant sanctuary gains popularity in Arizona

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