AUSTIN, Texas – An undocumented woman from Guatemala who's been living in a North Austin church with her son for the last four years is defying a final warning from immigration officials to leave the country.
- Ramirez has a 13-year-old son
- The two have been living in St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church
- ICE says no impediments to her removal
In early December, Hilda Ramirez received a letter from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) giving her until Tuesday morning to turn herself in at the J.J. Pickle building, but Ramirez refused. Instead, faith leaders and activists showed up on her behalf with the message that Ramirez isn't going anywhere.
“I have a pending case, so I don’t understand why I received the letter in the first place,” she said.
Ramirez was among seven women living in churches across the country who received a letter from ICE warning of possible fines and imprisonment if she does not leave the country.
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“What they’re doing isn’t fair. We’re not objects, we have feelings. We’re all the same,” she said, adding that she thinks the letters amount to threats.
As of Tuesday evening, there was no word on whether immigration agents will break precedent and use Ramirez' non-compliance as a license to enter St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church in North Austin to arrest her.
"Ramirez's immigration case has concluded and at this time there are no impediments to her removal,” said ICE spokeswoman Nina Pruneda in a statement.
In the letter from ICE, Ramirez was warned of $800 fines for every day she ignored deportation orders on top of criminal charges.
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For now, Ramirez plans to continue seeking sanctuary under the roof of the North Austin church.
“I won’t give up. I’ll keep fighting for my freedom and the freedom of my son,” she said.
For his part, her son Ivan asks for compassion.
“We’re hard workers, that’s who we are as immigrants. We’re not asking for handouts, just freedom. That’s all we want,” he says.
There are no laws that prevent ICE agents from going into places of worship. The courtesy practice comes from a 2011 discretionary policy directive for agents to be mindful of "sensitive locations.”