Norwalk Woman Facing Deportation Seeks Refuge In New Haven Church

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Norwalk Woman Facing Deportation Seeks Refuge In New Haven Church

Norwalk mother facing deportation to Guatemala Thursday took refuge inside a New Haven church, setting off a possible confrontation between a city that supports immigrants and federal immigration authorities.

Nury Chavarria, 43, has lived in the United States for 24 years after escaping the violence and economic turmoil in her home country of Guatemala.

Chavarria was slated to be deported on Thursday, but in the afternoon took refuge with her daughter at Iglesia De Dios Pentecostal church in the Fair Haven section of the city.

New Haven identifies as a sanctuary city, signifying municipal resistance to federal immigration enforcement.

"We have opened the doors of our congregation to serve Ms. Chavarria as a sanctuary church," the Rev. Héctor Otero said through a translator at press conference Thursday afternoon.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement generally considers churches to be "sensitive locations" and will refrain from enforcement unless absolutely necessary, said Justin Fappiano, an immigration attorney.

Kica Matos, director of immigrant rights and racial justice at the Center for Community Change in Washington, D.C., said that Chavarria's decision to seek refuge will allow her more time to find some level of legal relief.

"She's in the U.S. in Connecticut not far from her family in a place she will benefit from protection. We're hoping there is some legal recourse she can benefit from at some time," Matos said. "Once she leaves the country it'll be more challenging for her to return. She wants to continue to be a good, responsible mother for them."

Matos said that enforcement of immigration policy has ebbed and flowed, but in recent years it focused on felons, not families.

"She doesn't deserve this. She is a hardworking, taxpaying resident ... why she is being singled out baffles me," she said.

At the church Thursday night, volunteers were preparing for Chavarria's stay.

Dianette Otero, one of the pastors of the church, said she knew her church had made the right decision to help Chavarria and her family.

"We are so identified with her, as mothers," she said.

Though emotionally, mentally and spiritually ready to take on the spotlight that would come to it by becoming the first sanctuary church in Connecticut, Dianette Otero said the church doesn't have extra funds.

Instead, she and about 300 members of the church will lend a helping hand and provide for Chavarria and her daughter.

"About 12 of us women have signed up on taking turns, bringing them breakfast and other meals and whatever else they may need,"Dianette Otero said.

Chavarria is the single mother to a 21-year-old son with cerebral palsy and three other children, all of whom were born in the United States. The other children are staying with a family member.

Chavarria said she has worked as a housekeeper for 15 years and has never been arrested during her time in the United States.

When she arrived in the United States in 1993, Chavarria, her father and brother applied for asylum status. Her request was denied, her lawyer, Glen Formica, said Wednesday.

She remained in the U.S. and in 1998 she was given a voluntary order for deportation, but did not leave because of her children. In 1999 a final order for deportation was issued and again she remained in the country, Formica said.

Starting in 2011, Chavarria checked in annually with ICE and each year she was granted stays of removal to allow her to continue to raise her children — until tighter immigration enforcement policies were enacted.

When Chavarria went to her annual check-in on June 21 with her 9-year-old daughter, Hayley, beside her, she said she was told she could apply for a stay, but she should buy a plane ticket back to Guatemala. She was ordered to return to the office on July 5 with proof she had bought a plane ticket.

"I came to the ICE office and they sent me to another office and they put me in an ankle bracelet and they said I had to leave by July 20," she said. "I was feeling so sad. It was tough for everyone. I was in shock. We were crying."

At Thursday's press conference, Hayley, who is staying at the church with her mother, asked authorities to allow her mother to stay.

My mother is someone I love more than anyone in the world," the girl said. "She is not a criminal. She has a positive attitude about everything. I want her to stay here because I love her so much."

Support for Chavarria and her family came from across the state, including top government officials.

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy visited Chavarria and her family at the church — even holding the hand of Chavarria's youngest daughter.

"We ask the question [of] whether it makes sense for the American government to separate this primary caregiver for two of four of these children," Malloy said. "It doesn't make sense on anything that I know and so if it's not explainable then I say stop it."

New Haven Mayor Toni Harp has touted the Elm City's friendly status toward undocumented immigrants, saying police wouldn't cooperate with federal immigration agents, a policy she pledged to continue even when President Donald Trump threatened to strip federal funding from so-called sanctuary cities.

"In New Haven there is a strict sense that federal immigration law is the purview and responsibility of the federal government, so in New Haven compliance matters are ceded to federal officials," Laurence Grotheer, a spokesman for Harp, said in an email Thursday evening.

U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal , D-Conn., said Thursday in a statement that Chavarria's situation "is a symptom of Trump's cold and callous immigrations policies."

"As a former federal prosecutor and state attorney general I believe in effective and fair enforcement of the law in accordance with due process. At the same time, my heart breaks for Nury Chavarria and her family," he said. "I will continue to explore all opportunities to assist her and her family. I remain committed to comprehensive immigration reform to provide lasting and significant change to this badly broken system."

Blumenthal and U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy , D-Conn., both wrote letters to ICE and the Department of Homeland Security asking that Chavarria's case be reviewed.

Courant staff writer Russell Blair contributed to this story.