Arellano case weighs heavy, but law must be followed

Elvira Arellano has been deported to Mexico. An undocumented immigrant, she sought refuge for a year in a Chicago church, but recently she left the church to participate in an immigration reform rally and was arrested.

A year ago, when her situation first hit the headlines, I wrote about the need for making an immigration policy exception for people like her: a mother who has been a model member of the community and who has a son who is a U.S. citizen. But my heart was wrestling with my head on this issue.

Many people who already are U.S. citizens don't appreciate what they have. To throw out people who do appreciate what this country stands for goes against my sense of what's good for the nation. That's what my heart says.

But Arellano is a lawbreaker. And if laws are made to be broken at will, what good are they? Every legal exception we make opens the door just a crack more for lawlessness. Making exceptions for Arellano and for others, whatever the rationale, must be done very, very carefully. That's my head answering.

As a Christian and as a religious leader I want to see us demonstrate compassion. Jesus himself was a lawbreaker; you could call him a protester against unjust laws. He pointed out that laws are made for the benefit of people, not people for the benefit of laws.

I've heard no reason for sending Arellano back to Mexico other than the fact that she came in illegally. She has done little else wrong. She has tried to be a good member of society. She wants to raise her son as an American. Where are our love, mercy and compassion?

I can afford to take that stance because I am a religious leader.

If I were a government leader, I would have to remember that government exists to bring law and order, safety and services to its people. The church is concerned about mercy; the government must be concerned about order.

That's not just my opinion. The Bible tells us maintaining an orderly society is the primary function of government. If I were a government official, I would have a duty to remember that.

I don't think there is anything our government can do right now except to send Arellano back to Mexico. Perhaps we can assist her and expedite her legal re-entry, but a government can't turn its back on law-breaking.

This isn't an Hispanic versus the rest of us issue. For a while it seemed like the Hispanic community was united in pushing for the easy inclusion of undocumented immigrants, but lately dissenting voices have been heard, not only from the general public but from elected officials. They want the law honored, too.

If it were my decision to make, I would send Arellano back to Mexico. Whether she takes her son or not is her decision. But I would do so with a heavy heart. We need more people who come here because they want to be here, not because they want to blow us up.

We need to make it easier for them to join us.