 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
| IMMIGRANT STORIES |
We welcome you to meet...
Liliana Santuario:
As a teenager, Liliana’s family came to the United States from
Mexico; she stayed behind to finish high school. Her parents and
family labored as farm workers; they worked hard, achieved
legalization and petitioned for Lilana. The process of the petition for
Lilana to come to the U.S was approximately 10 years.
Out of desperation, a then 17 year-old Lilana purchased a false birth
certificate from a coyote (person that crosses undocumented people
into the U.S.) and left Mexico. Lilana was caught, but later released.
She went to live with her U.S. citizen family, and started a life for
herself. Liliana later met a great man, a U.S. citizen. She then got
married and had two beautiful children, a 7 year-old and a newborn.
Her husband petitioned to have begin the legalization process. In the
final interview, it was discovered that Lilana originally used a false
birth certificate and she was consequently issued a deportation
order. Had Lilana used a different false document, such as a visa or
green card, her crime would have been a misdemeanor. Since she
was charged with impersonating a U.S. citizen, she was brought on
felony charges.
One night, while her husband was at work, Lilana was breastfeeding
her newborn. Two agents came to her door and told her they were
ordered to take her. Her 7 year-old asked why they were taking his
mommy, “I learned in school that police only arrest bad people, I
know my mommy, she is not a bad person”. One of the agents turned
to Lilana, “We’ve had women giving birth in detention centers. We
take the babies and deport the mothers”. Lilana responded that she
needed time to prepare her children. The second agent looked at
Lilana and asked her how much time she needed. Lilana replied with
three days. After the agents left and as an effort not to separate from
her children, Lilana immediately called to request Sanctuary.
Commentary:
Stories like Lilana’s are one in many, but few ever get spoken about.
We have an opportunity to change this broken system-our nation
requires it, our faith calls us to it, and our salvation depends on it.
Faith leaders throughout the country continue to work to respond to
the needs of immigrant workers and their families through supporting
coalitions working on comprehensive immigration reform. In addition,
prominent leaders have sought to define the particular contributions
that clergy and congregational leaders could make to the larger
struggle. The crisis of ongoing raids and deportations as well as the
opportunity offered by the push for federal legislation increased the
urgency of creating an effective and prophetic national
response.
Liliana Santuario:
As a teenager, Liliana’s family came to the United States from
Mexico; she stayed behind to finish high school. Her parents and
family labored as farm workers; they worked hard, achieved
legalization and petitioned for Lilana. The process of the petition for
Lilana to come to the U.S was approximately 10 years.
Out of desperation, a then 17 year-old Lilana purchased a false birth
certificate from a coyote (person that crosses undocumented people
into the U.S.) and left Mexico. Lilana was caught, but later released.
She went to live with her U.S. citizen family, and started a life for
herself. Liliana later met a great man, a U.S. citizen. She then got
married and had two beautiful children, a 7 year-old and a newborn.
Her husband petitioned to have begin the legalization process. In the
final interview, it was discovered that Lilana originally used a false
birth certificate and she was consequently issued a deportation
order. Had Lilana used a different false document, such as a visa or
green card, her crime would have been a misdemeanor. Since she
was charged with impersonating a U.S. citizen, she was brought on
felony charges.
One night, while her husband was at work, Lilana was breastfeeding
her newborn. Two agents came to her door and told her they were
ordered to take her. Her 7 year-old asked why they were taking his
mommy, “I learned in school that police only arrest bad people, I
know my mommy, she is not a bad person”. One of the agents turned
to Lilana, “We’ve had women giving birth in detention centers. We
take the babies and deport the mothers”. Lilana responded that she
needed time to prepare her children. The second agent looked at
Lilana and asked her how much time she needed. Lilana replied with
three days. After the agents left and as an effort not to separate from
her children, Lilana immediately called to request Sanctuary.
Commentary:
Stories like Lilana’s are one in many, but few ever get spoken about.
We have an opportunity to change this broken system-our nation
requires it, our faith calls us to it, and our salvation depends on it.
Faith leaders throughout the country continue to work to respond to
the needs of immigrant workers and their families through supporting
coalitions working on comprehensive immigration reform. In addition,
prominent leaders have sought to define the particular contributions
that clergy and congregational leaders could make to the larger
struggle. The crisis of ongoing raids and deportations as well as the
opportunity offered by the push for federal legislation increased the
urgency of creating an effective and prophetic national
response.
| 150 SW 13th Avenue, Miami, FL 33135 Phone (786) 264-1708; Fax (786) 264-1859 interfaith@sfiwj.org; www.sfiwj.org |