Churches Weigh Offering Help to Illegal Immigrants – New Sanctuary Movement

“The nationwide New Sanctuary Movement is about six months old. Its roots, however, go back to the Bible, where passages prescribe offering refuge to people unjustly accused of crimes. The movement last surfaced in the United States in the 1980s, when some churches sheltered Central and South Americans denied political asylum.

The most visible symbol of the New Sanctuary Movement has been Elvira Arellano, a Mexican woman who spent a year sheltered in a Chicago church to avoid deportation. She was deported last month after she embarked on a nationwide speaking tour; her son, Saul, 8, a U.S. citizen, has joined her in Mexico.

Today, loosely organized religious groups and individuals in about 50 cities support families who risk separation if members here illegally are deported. The movement is public in its efforts and encourages immigrants to tell their stories.”

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