The Simi Valley City Council is calling for the secretary of Homeland Security to personally end a stalemate between the city and a local church sheltering an illegal immigrant.
Mayor Paul Miller sent a letter Wednesday to Secretary Michael Chertoff detailing a conflict between the city and the United Church of Christ, which has been housing Liliana, an illegal immigrant whose most recent home was in Oxnard and who is wanted for deportation, and her U.S.-born son.
Miller said the city approached Homeland Security before, through the Washington office of Rep. Elton Gallegly, R-Simi Valley. Both Chertoff's department and Immigration and Customs Enforcement refused to be involved, the letter says.
Protesters have demonstrated outside the former parsonage where Liliana is staying, and, the mayor said, the city had to call in local law enforcement to maintain peace.
From the newswire:
Simi Valley Mayor asks DHS head Chertoff to Raid Sanctuary Church - Oxnard Responds
by E. Valeryevich
Simi Valley Mayor asks DHS head Chertoff to Raid Sanctuary Church - Oxnard Responds