Liliana Sanctuario facing deportation remains in Simi church: Two Years and Counting

In September 2007, ImmigrationProf reported on the conflict in Simi Valley over a church’s sheltering of an undocumented mother facing deportation.  I am shocked to report that, according to a news story by  Jacky Guerrero of the Ventura County Star, the 31-year-old mother from Oxnard named Liliana, accused of falsely claiming to be a U.S. citizen during a failed attempt to enter the country a decade ago, remains on church property 730 days after she arrived. “She calls herself Liliana Santuario, using the Spanish word for sanctuary and refusing to use her real name. She lives behind United Church of Christ in a parsonage decorated with her wedding photo, a flag that displays Our Lady of Guadalupe amid Mexico’s colors and knickknacks featuring Hannah Montana.” Liliana’s children are 2, 6, and 9 years old live with her and leave the church to attend school and soccer games; her husband is a naturalized U.S. citizen and lives in town, although he visits the parsonage often.

KJ