As an undocumented migrant, she received an order to leave the U.S. — but this church gave her a safe place to stay.
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00This has put a very human and real face to a crisis that is unfolding not just at our border but within our country.
00:30If Obama gave us Romney care, what can Trump do?
00:58What can Trump do?
01:28Oh my God!
01:58This is a Salvadoran breakfast. It's a traditional breakfast that comes with bananas, beans, cheese, cream and eggs.
02:12This is a Salvadoran breakfast. It's a traditional breakfast that comes with bananas, beans, cheese, cream and eggs.
02:25For Mr. Donald Trump, may his mind open up and his heart be more simple, Father.
02:32May we not be discriminated against by the entire community that emigrates to this country, Father.
02:40I ask this in the name of Jesus. Amen and Amen.
02:44The most difficult thing was when I separated from my children.
02:57They stayed in Virginia and I came here.
03:01That was the most difficult thing because I cried at night because I'm not used to being without my children.
03:09And I remember that the girl, on the first night, she cried and sent me a message that she missed me and that I should return.
03:17I told her, I can't, I can't go back.
03:21This has put a very human and real face to a crisis that is unfolding, not just at our border, but within our country.
03:44And to be in daily proximity to a person and a family who is going through this, someone who is having to live her life among a group of well-intentioned strangers,
03:57and kind of do that as a leap of faith and still be able to live with grace and courage and humor, that is both inspiring and challenging.
04:11How are you doing? Good. Juan Pablo, how's he feeling? Good. Better? Yeah, better. Not sick?
04:18No, I told him, OK, you drink medicine. You drink medicine, it's better for you.
04:22The challenging part is having to witness someone go through this.
04:42ICE so far has abided by that memo and has not sought to violate it by entering some of these safe locations, especially religious communities.
04:55I don't think there's such a thing as being absolutely safe, that this is an internal directive that could be changed tomorrow.
05:04There's some bad hombres in that group.
05:07People call it an invasion. It's like an invasion.
05:10They have no documents, totally undocumented. We have enough problems in our country.
05:17When president, I, as president, will be getting them out and getting them out very, very quickly.
05:27Acquired? Acquitted. Acquitted. Find no guilty? Find not guilty.
05:36In trying to help plan everything for Rosa, there's people who stay with her, take shifts, staying during the day and even at night.
05:47There are people who are dedicated to doing shopping, buying groceries, supplies.
05:53There are people who are dedicated to transporting the kids back and forth from some of their activities.
05:59There's interpreters like myself.
06:12There's those that are involved more on the legal side of things.
06:16It's been organized into tasks and then people make use of their skills wherever they fit.
06:22People want to help. It creates an opportunity for people to be in solidarity with each other.
06:28And I think that that's something that we need nowadays.
06:52The whole purpose of sanctuary is to provide safe space, but the intention is not to make that a permanent condition.
07:10It is to provide safe space to someone while they try to receive due process legally.
07:16So in Rosa's case, she is seeking relief.
07:20She has been trying repeatedly to file a stay of removal petition with ICE, which if accepted and granted would allow her to leave sanctuary.
07:29And then be able to await the other process that is also underway, which is appealing her case for asylum in the United States.
07:47My hope is to be able to leave here, but I don't know how long.
07:52But I have faith that I will leave here and God will give me the privilege of being able to stay in this country.
08:01I imagine my life seeing my children be professional and have a good education and be able to be happy with them here.
08:16For more UN videos visit www.un.org