CARBONDALE, Colo. (AP) — A Mexican immigrant and activist who has lived in western Colorado for 16 years has taken refuge in a church to avoid deportation.
Sandra Lopez of Silt moved into Two Rivers Unitarian Universalist Church in Carbondale with her 2-year-old daughter last week after immigration officials denied her request to delay deportation.
Lopez, who also has two older children, is the fifth immigrant living in the country illegally to seek sanctuary in a Colorado house of worship this year.
The Denver Post reports that Colorado has the highest number of undocumented immigrants living in sanctuary: 1 out of every 6 in the U.S. are in Colorado.
The Glenwood Springs Post Independent reported Tuesday that Lopez has been facing possible deportation since 2010 after she was arrested for alleged criminal mischief, a misdemeanor.
Court records show the case was quickly dropped. Lopez says she was arrested after one of her children mistakenly called 911 and hung up.
Others currently in sanctuary include Ingrid LaTorre, who went back into sanctuary last week in Fort Collins at the last minute, when she was set to board a plane to her native Peru.
