Church shelters illegal alien, gets $40K bill for police protection during protest
Chad Groening OneNewsNow.com
October 1, 2007
A California-based immigration reform organization is supporting the decision by the mayor of Simi Valley to bill a church almost $40,000 for harboring an illegal alien cover the cost for police presence during a protest.
For more than a year Mexican national Elvira Arellano made national news as she was holed up inside a Chicago church in order to avoid deportation by immigration authorities. Arellano finally left the church, fled to California, and was deported back to Mexico. Now another illegal, identified only as “Lilliana,” has been given sanctuary at United Church of Christ in Simi Valley, California.
In response, an immigration reform group, known as Save Our State, organized a three-day protest outside the church — forcing the city to send police officers to keep the peace. But instead of billing the protestors, Simi Valley Mayor Paul Miller sent the nearly $40,000 bill to the church, calling the congregation irresponsible for harboring an illegal alien.
Save our State spokeswoman Chelene Nightingale says the mayor made the right call. “This pastor is the one who opted to have this criminal in her church, therefore I personally feel — as do others — that she should pay for harboring a criminal. She’s aiding and abetting,” says Nightingale.
It is unfortunate, says the group spokeswoman, that the American Civil Liberties Union has come to the defense of the church and its illegal alien visitor, prompting the mayor to hold off on the bill. “The ACLU can pose quite a bit of problems for a city,” she says.
Nightingale says her organization intends to meet with the mayor and return to the church for another protest.
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Posted by loboinok on October 2, 2007 2:50 am
» Filed Under ACLU, Border Control/Homeland Security, Church And State, News
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4 Responses to “Church shelters illegal alien, gets $40K bill for police protection during protest”
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Syndicate Me
Well, I guess we know what it takes to make the ACLU defend a church now.
Chelene Nightengale is clearly a moron.
If the Pastor broke a law for which there is an imposable fine, a court alone has the
power to determine guild and impose such fine.
However, failing that, the Church is decidedly NOT responsible for the morons, like Chelene, that lined up outside to protest.
Perhaps the police should be billing this Save Our State of Ignorance group.
Tony, to slander a complete stranger speaks not only of one’s intellect, but also of a person’s manners.
Under section 18, 2-3 (US), the aider and abettor is held liable for the same crime which he or she has knowingly aided the principal in committing, either by active participation in it or by some manner encouraging it prior to or at the time of its commission.
Perhaps then you do not believe criminal trespassing or identity theft is a crime. However according to title 8, section 1325, illegal entry into the USA is a crime. And in the state of California Penal Code section 113 acquiring, selling, or utilizing false or stolen documents is a crime. These are two laws that Liliana is guilty of breaking. Therefore this church is harboring a criminal. Aiding and Abetting, also known as accessory, is a crime punishable by law.
The “ignorant” Save Our State members consist of Americans from all races, religious beliefs, educational backgrounds, etc..In fact one of our most respected members is a civil attorney who participated in the protest.
Save Our State members are intelligent enough to know that the liberal court system in California is not going to challenge the church’s position. Therefore SOS is exposing the sanctuary church movement and challenging the legality through multiple means including legislating, phone calling, and street activism.
Although I do not recall interviewing for this online site, since I do agree with opposing the ACLU, I will support the article above. However Save Our State did not protest for 3 days, it was only 3 hours.
Thank you Chad for bringing this story to your readers. And Tony thank you for being the reason for a response.
Chelene,
Don’t let fascists like Tony bother you. He’s no different than those who brought the Nazi’s to power prior to WWII.
They hate, and need to demean and ridicule those who refuse to march in rigid lockstep with his ideology. His types
will do anything to oppress the American people, for whatever he feels will profit him. I’m a liberal democrat,
and a Native American, who is concerned about the disastrous economy that only serves to destroy the lives of
innocent American citizens. Keep fighting the good fight, and please know you are not alone. The majority of American
citizens across this country are united on this isssue, across party lines and in spite of other things that have in
the past divided us.