Church welcomes mom who faces deportation
UCC backs its controversial stance with action
By Darleen Principe darleen@theacorn.com

IRIS SMOOT/Acorn Newspapers NEW HOME- Liliana plays with her 6-month-old son Pablo at a house on the United Church of Christ property where she is being provided sanctuary in Simi Valley.

After spending three months living in a Long Beach office building, an undocumented Oxnard woman has finally found refuge in a Simi Valley church that's closer to her home and family.

Last week, 29-year-old Liliana, who wouldn't disclose her last name for fear of repercussions to her family, became the first undocumented immigrant to be officially welcomed by United Church of Christ in Simi Valley- the only church in Ventura County to act as a sanctuary congregation for illegal immigrants.

She now lives with her 6monthold son, Pablo, in a fourbedroom house on the church grounds. Her husband and three children are all U.S. citizens.

"I hope to stay here in the country with my children," she told the Simi Valley Acorn this week with the help of an interpreter.

It was Liliana's case that prompted UCC Simi to vote to become a sanctuary congregation in July. The church's pastor, the Rev. June C. Goudey, is a board member of the Ventura County Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice (CLUE), a group promoting a national movement to help families being separated due to immigration laws the group considers to be unjust.

IRIS SMOOT/Acorn Newspapers UNCERTAIN FUTURE- Liliana spoon-feeds Paul his favorite food, bananas, while spending time in her new home on Thursday.

In order to qualify for sanctuary, the person must have a "compelling" case as determined through a screening process performed by CLUE. The sanctuary candidate must 1) be at risk of deportation, 2) be the parent of children who are U.S. citizens, 3) have a good work history and 4) have good moral standing.

"If the immigration authorities are trying to deal with smugglers and drug dealers and those with criminal intention, that's wonderful," Goudey told the Acorn in July. "If they want to deport criminals, then by all means."

Goudey said Liliana's only crime was entering the U.S. nine years ago using a fake birth certificate and that the punishment was not fitting.

Liliana was born in the city of Panindicuaro in Michoacan, Mexico. She said she received permission to work in the U.S. in 2003, but when she applied for residency in 2004 she was denied. This made her a target of immigration officials, and by May 2007 she was threatened with deportation.

"I asked the officials, 'Why me?'" she said. "They told me it was completely random."

Out of fear of being separated from her family, Liliana and her husband asked a lawyer about their options. They were told about an undocumented immigrant who'd sought help from CLUE and the New Sanctuary Movement, she said.

Since May 16, Liliana's spent three weeks in sanctuary with Pablito at a home in Sierra Madre, then three months in an office belonging to an Episcopal church in Long Beach. Now that UCC Simi Valley offers sanctuary, Liliana is likely to stay there for a long time, Goudey said.

She is one of four undocumented immigrants being housed in sanctuaries in California.

Because Liliana cannot leave church grounds, her husband and other two children, 7-year-old Gerardo and 5-year-old Susy, come to visit her every weekend and some weeknights, depending on her husband's work schedule. One of the rooms in the house is furnished with a bunk bed for the kids when they stay over.

"It feels like I'm at home," Liliana said. "I can cook here. When the kids come over, I can make their favorite meals for them."

She's in constant communication with her family, talking to her kids every morning before school and at night before they go to sleep.

"I sometimes call them during the day to make sure they do their homework," Liliana said.

The sanctuary house is fully furnished and functional- with a complete kitchen, two bathrooms, a playroom for children, a backyard and a large living room. The entrance hallway to the house is decorated with a sign that says bienvenidos, welcome.

All the supplies, food and money for utilities come from donations made by partnered congregations and other members of the public. CLUE manages everything donated to Liliana and arranges for volunteers to take shifts staying with her around the clock.

"I'm happy that people are around," Liliana said. "They're here for security and to make sure I have everything I need."

She said she spends most of her day cleaning around the house and taking care of Pablito. Soon, she'll be continuing private lessons in English and computer skills, which she started in Long Beach, both also arranged by CLUE.

Since Liliana's move to the church last week, the congregation has been met by one instance of physical protest. Goudey said four members of the Minutemen, an anti-illegal-immigration group, came to last Sunday's church service to protest Liliana's stay.

"I've had both positive and notso-positive comments," Goudey said. "We've had some phone calls but no large protests."

Liliana said about 60 Minutemen came to her sanctuary in Long Beach on July 29, but about 200 members of the public supported her in a counterprotest.

"My children arrived (at the sanctuary) crying, but it just gave them more courage to keep fighting," she said.

Mayor Paul Miller said he made the city's stance on the sanctuary very clear to members of UCC Simi.

"I warned the church that they were basically taking a rebel stance," Miller said. "It's against the law to be in this country illegally. If Immigration and Customs Enforcement wants to make an arrest and asks for help from the police department, we are willing to assist them."

Liliana said she's aware of the consequences, but she feels safe in the church regardless of the city's stance.

"There's a little fear," she said. "I know they can come, but I am here to fight for my children."