Emotions run high at Sunday's UCC protest
Immigration debate comes home to Simi
By Darleen Principe darleen@theacorn.com

IRIS SMOOT/Acorn Newspapers SIGN LANGUAGE- Protesters demonstrate outside the United Church of Christ in Simi Valley on Sunday in response to the church's recent decision to provide sanctuary to Liliana, an undocumented Mexican immigrant who faces deportation although her husband and children are U.S. citizens. Save Our State, an anti-illegal immigration group, organized the protest and planned to make a citizen's arrest, but police prevented the action.

The typically quiet sidewalks in front of the United Church of Christ on Royal Avenue were transformed into a stage for angry demonstrators Sunday, as protesters with opposing viewpoints on immigration verbally clashed with one another while members of the congregation attended worship services inside.

Nearly 125 demonstrators- the majority of them speaking against the Simi Valley congregation's controversial stand- positioned themselves on either side of the driveway leading up to the church shortly before 10 a.m., chanting protests, waving signs and, occasionally, spouting verbal attacks.

IRIS SMOOT/Acorn Newspapers QUIET GESTURE- Gifford Smith, United Church of Christ minister of spirituality and recovery, pours a cup of water for anti-illegal immigration protester Rose Manning of Eagle Rock, outside the church during the Save Our State protest. Without comment on the activity, church members quietly wheeled out trays with cups and pitchers of cold water for protesters and counter-protesters.

The rally, organized by the anti-illegal immigration group Save Our State, was in response to the local church's decision to provide sanctuary to a 29yearold undocumented Mexican woman known as Liliana, who is facing deportation for entering the country illegally with forged documents.

Vocal members of Save Our State took turns speaking through a bullhorn during the protest, which lasted three hours.

"This church is moving headlong into a ditch of iniquity," said Don Silva, one of the protest organizers. "She has the ability to take her and her little child back to her little province in Mexico. She needs to go back home now."

Members of United Church of Christ voted in July to become part of the nationwide New Sanctuary Movement, which aims to help families from being separated by what the group deems to be "unjust" immigration laws.

Liliana, whose husband and three children are U.S. citizens, was officially welcomed three weeks ago to take sanctuary in a house on the church grounds with her 6-month-old son, Pablo.

Sunday's demonstration marked the first major protest the church has seen since it announced its controversial stance in July. The church's pastor, the Rev. June C. Goudey, told the Simi Valley Acorn the congregation felt no fear during the protest.

"We felt surrounded by the spirit of love and experienced a powerful sense of community- a deep resolve to continue the work we are doing in support of Liliana and her family and others like her," she said.

Save Our State came to the local church in the hope of enacting a citizen's arrest of Liliana, but Simi police barred them from setting foot on church property.

Police Chief Mike Lewis said Goudey "elected to exercise private property," closing the church to anyone who was not a parishioner.

"Any person in essence can arrest another person for a crime and so in this case, (the protesters) were demanding that police go in and make an arrest," Lewis said. "Our position is that the case is a federal violation. Liliana has no local felonies or misdemeanors. (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) should deal with it appropriately."

Independent protesters and members of other antiillegal immigration organizations, such as Mothers Against Illegal Aliens and The Minutemen, held up signs reading: "Tax this political church" and "Stop using children as political pawns!"

"No sanctuary," they chanted. "Deport Liliana!"

The rally attracted about 30 counterprotesters, some independent and others from groups such as the Anti-Fascist Coalition and the International Socialist Organization.

"Basically, I believe that ICE has no right to do raids on families," said 20-year-old Downey resident Ana Rodriguez, a member of the ISO. "Everyone has equal rights to be here. We're here to defend the church and Liliana."

Counterprotesters carried signs saying: "ICE raids on Latino neighborhoods = racial profiling" and "Racists go home!" Their chanted mantras included "No ICE, no KKK, no fascist USA" and "No borders, no nation, no racist deportation."

Both sides addressed Liliana and the congregation loudly and directly from outside the church grounds. And profanitylaced insults were exchanged between the two factions.

"It's interesting how they're not going by facts," Rodriguez said. "They keep saying that crime rates are going to go up and that they're going to lose money, but this is America. We live in the richest country in the world. It's sad because people are just racist."

Chelene Nightingale, a Save Our State spokesperson, took the bullhorn and urged protesters to turn their backs on the opposing side and keep focused on the church.

"The latest from (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) is that they're now investigating Liliana's case," Nightingale told protesters. "It could take three to six months until they take action, so keep calling this church."

Shortly after 11:30 a.m., when services ended, UCC minister Gifford Smith came out with pushcarts to serve water to those on both sides of the demonstration.

Several Simi police officers- all equipped with long wooden clubs- helped usher cars safely out of the church parking lot, while some members of the congregation stayed behind to watch the rally.

Passing cars honked in solidarity with protesters.

Down the block, Simi resident Laura Sharp held a sign saying: "Soldiers didn't die for amnesty."

Sharp's husband is a Vietnam combat veteran, and she said she's spent several years doing missionary work for the less fortunate.

"God calls us to be merciful," she said. "I help people out, but you don't let illegal immigrants stay in our country.

"I don't hate anybody, but I do love our laws. I wish no one ill will. I just want the mayor of Simi Valley and the police chief to uphold the law," Sharp said.