Immigration Activist Deported To Mexico

After Avoiding Arrest For A Year By Taking Refuge In A Chicago Church

(AP)  Arellano's supporters in Chicago learned of the news early Monday morning.

"We know that she'll continue the struggle and we will continue the struggle with greater faith, greater steadfastness and greater force," said Catherine Archibald, a parishioner of Coleman's church.

Arellano came to Washington state illegally in 1997. She was deported to Mexico shortly after, but returned and moved to Illinois in 2000, taking a job cleaning planes at O'Hare International Airport.

She was arrested in 2002 at O'Hare and convicted of working under a false Social Security number. She was to surrender to authorities last August.

She sought refuge at the storefront church on Chicago's West Side Aug. 15, 2006. She had not left the church property until deciding to be driven to Los Angeles, Coleman said.

Immigration authorities confirmed the arrest and said in a statement earlier Sunday that Arellano was "being processed for removal to Mexico based upon a deportation order originally issued by a federal immigration judge in 1997."

Immigration activists responded with anger to her arrest, and promised protests and vigils to support her.

"We are sad, but at the same time we are angry," said Javier Rodriguez, a Chicago immigration activist who worked with Arellano. "How dare they arrest this woman?"

Anti-illegal immigrant groups said the arrest was long overdue.

"Just because the woman has gone public and made an issue of the fact that she is defying law doesn't mean the government doesn't have to do its job," said Ira Mehlman of the Federation for American Immigration Reform, which favors limits on immigration.

Arellano said she was staying in the United States illegally because of her son, Saul, who was born in America. Arellano has repeatedly called for a stop to immigration raids that break up "mixed families," that is families that have some members with legal status and others who are in the country illegally.

Emma Lozano, Coleman's wife and head of immigration rights group Centro Sin Fronteras in Chicago, said she is Saul's legal guardian. At a Sunday afternoon press conference in Los Angeles, the boy hid behind Lozano and wiped away tears.

"He's taking it better than we thought he would," Lozano said of the boy being separated from Arellano.

While being arrested, Lozano said that Arellano spoke briefly with her son before submitting herself to authorities.

"She calmed him down, hugged him and gave him a blessing," said Lozano.