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The faith community has been working on what to do after the Trump administration saw that the church should no longer be restricted on immigration enforcement.
But one church in Bell is doing everything it can to welcome undocumented church people amid uncertainty for the immigrant community.
“I’m opening the door for everyone,” said Maria Elena Montalvo, pastor of the church.
For years, the church provided housing for undocumented immigrants. Most of them are asylum seekers. Church fellowship serves as a sleep quarter for up to 45 people.
Antonio, a Venezuelan asylum seeker, said he didn’t want to share his last name, but the political situation keeps him in the evening.
“I can’t sleep sometimes because I’m thinking about the situation,” he said. “Many of us come here with dreams and come to give our families a better future.”
Until recently, the church was considered a sacred space protected from immigration enforcement. President Donald Trump removed those protections and changed when a federal judge was on his side, allowing immigration operations to take place at the places of worship.
“We know that we are no longer sanctuary, but are you trying to do it when someone asks for help? If they ask you to evacuate, what can you do,” Montalvo said.
Montalvo is truly aware of the undocumented anxiety that undocumented immigrants feel since they came to the US from Mexico in 1989. She became a US citizen in 2018.
The pastor admitted she was concerned about possible impacts, but she is even more concerned about people in the church. For now, she said that her faith is her strength and that she keeps her door open.
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