By Ray Tranchant of Catlin, Illinois –
Governor Rauner, consider the case of Elvira Arellano before signing SB 31, a case that has drained hundreds of thousands of dollars in Chicago, Canadian and Federal resources.
Elvira Arellano came to the United States illegally from Mexico in 1997. She was 22 years old and was shortly thereafter apprehended by ICE and deported back to Mexico.
Days later, she returned and migrated up to the State of Oregon where she lived for three years. She had a son there named Saul, and refused to identify his father. My guess is that he was here illegally as well. Saul is the glue that held her to the US, because he is an American citizen.
In 2000, she migrated to Chicago and got a job working behind the secure areas of O’Hare Airport. Shortly after 911, Homeland Security was established and it was important for them to check the backgrounds of people who worked behind “secure areas” in airports and major US transportation systems.
Not only do terrorists like to have connections behind secure areas, so do the cartels.
Elvira had stolen a social security number to get the job at O’Hare and HLS caught her. She was charged with identity theft and given another deportation order sending her back to Mexico.
She took residence in a Methodist Church in the Humboldt area of Chicago in 2006, and stayed a resident in that church for over a year. Congress members Bobby Rush and Louis Gutierrez took on her case for leniency. Then-US Senators Barack Obama and Dick Durbin were also complicit.
Unfortunately for Elvira, her notoriety called her to Los Angeles to speak at La Rasa-sponsored events on the weekends, thinking no one would track her. ICE apprehended her there and deported her and her son Saul back to Mexico. Understandably so, ICE referred to her as the “Church Lady.”
In Mexico, President Senior Fox, a pro-open borders advocate, invited Elvira and Saul to appear in front of the Mexican Congress to emphasize the importance of Mexico to stand up for her rights to remain in the US and the Mexican government’s resolve to put pressure on America in such cases.
Arellano had another son, Mexican born this time, and her next move was to enter the US from Canada. Canadian border officials refused their entry, so it was back to the drawing board for Elvira.
She worked closely with the Mexican Consulate in San Diego and in 2010 she and her two sons boarded the trolley from Tijuana and got off in San Diego, CA. Coincidentally, she was greeted with cameras and press to give an interview. Elvira had been in the US for over ten years and still could not speak English. She had no intention of assimilating to the American culture.
Her two talking points floored many people. One of her statements was “"the United States is the one who broke the law first by letting people cross over [the border] without documents.” This was followed by “Mexico is not a safe place to raise her sons.”
Elvira moved back to Chicago in the open face of the Obama Administration without delay. After all, sanctuary status had already been established there.
She was seen in 2017 outside of ICE Headquarters in Chicago with Congressman Gutierrez, participating in a protest against ICE. Gutierrez was handcuffed and removed because the group had a good old fashioned “sit-in” inside of ICE headquarters.
Elvira was confronted by ICE once again, and brought before a judge in Chicago to be deported. She claimed that her “life was in danger in Mexico” even though she was a predominate witness in the Mexican Congress. She had no proof that her life in Mexico was in danger, but the Obama-appointed judge delayed her deportation and required her to appear on a monthly basis back in court.
She is back living in the Church again with her American son Saul and her Mexican son, as well. Imagine the resources used in the justice system when a judge has to see her once a month.
Also, imagine the Churches, Public Schools, and DMVs that have to bear the involvement when Chicago places them as the “go to” safe haven for illegal immigrants. Of course, they involve all of these agencies to protect the illegal population but refuse to allow their police force to get involved with the apprehension of illegal felons (aliens that have committed a felony).
Police are even restricted from calling ICE when they know the perpetrator of a crime is in the US illegally. It doesn’t take a lot of time to make a phone call at a minimum to an ICE representative, but Chicago refuses to do so.
Elvira has a part time job now delivering newspapers and working in a Puerto Rican restaurant, a job that was surely secured by Rep. Gutierrez, a Puerto Rican National and US citizen.
Governor Rauner admits that the immigration system is “broken.” However, who perpetrates this sort of cooperation with illegal immigrants? The City of Chicago is home to 230-250 thousand illegals with special rules written just for them.
I would say, “Stop the music, Governor!” Do not sign SB 31, or there will be more services rendered for people like Elvira than Illinois has dollars to spend.
