I first heard about Ruth Carmina Alvarez from my friend Kit
Danley. Kit is the director of Neighborhood
Ministries, a Christian community in downtown Phoenix that, over the past
several years, has become increasingly focused on advocacy for undocumented
immigrants in their neighborhood. It’s through Kit and her son Ian that I have
become involved in discussions between Evangelical pastors and many of our
elected officials as we all seek a just, humane repair of our tragically broken
immigration laws.
Carmina, a longtime Phoenix resident who is married to a
citizen and has a citizen child, used a friend’s ID to get a job at a local
KFC. She was picked up on immigration related charges last August for working
with “bad documents” but was released and had no subsequent contact with
authorities. However, on April 1st police came to her house and
arrested her. She had just finished eight months of chemotherapy for stage III
breast cancer and was still very sick, waiting for surgery to remove the tumor.
Carmina was charged with a class four felony, which could mean deportation,
but, more importantly, if she pled guilty, she would have been ineligible for
any status adjustment should a comprehensive immigration reform bill pass.
Kit and Ian called many Evangelical pastors to pray for
Carmina’s release and to sign a letter to our County Attorney, Bill Montgomery,
who has indicated support for comprehensive immigration reform in the past (full
disclosure: I have three parishioners who work in Mr. Montgomery’s office). Our
letter was a humble plea for Carmina to be released on
humanitarian grounds in order to resume her cancer treatment.
Initially Mr. Montgomery refused, citing an inability under
the law to lessen the severity of her charges. When we heard this, we increased
our prayers for, essentially, a miracle, and we were ready to mobilize on
Carmina’s behalf.
Then, seemingly out of nowhere, Mr. Montgomery called
Carmina’s attorney, with whom he had had quite a bit of tension, and offered to
reduce the charges in such a way that Carmina
could be released. Carmina’s attorney humbly thanked Mr. Montgomery and,
rather than a press conference crying out for Carmina’s release, local pastors
and immigration advocates were able to use situation to thank Mr. Montgomery
and agree to deepen the relationship that developed in order to work together.
It is fitting that this scenario unfolded during Holy Week,
the week when Christians remember Jesus’ last week, a week in which he
experienced betrayal, injustice, and, ultimately, a brutal death. The hope that
he might be “the one who would redeem Israel”(Luke 24.20) was dashed, and his
disciples fled in fear.
For many of us, the possibility of immigration reform in the
near future has begun to seem so unlikely as to lead to despair. I’ve often
been tempted to throw up my hands and say, “This is impossible!” However, last
week we saw an example of God’s people gathering to pray and bear witness to
the heart of Jesus – the one who was crucified and raised from the dead. As we
did, we saw compassion, reconciliation, and freedom. The complexities of
reforming our immigration laws remain, yet today I find myself filled with the
hope that comes when one meets Jesus risen from the dead. Thank God for
Carmina, her friends, her family, and her advocates. Thank God for Bill
Montgomery and his willingness to take a risk to be compassionate. Mostly,
though, let’s thank God that, because Jesus died and is risen, we can keep
praying and bearing witness, knowing that anything is possible.
For a video of this story see: http://www.myfoxphoenix.com/story/25267831/2014/04/16/inmate-with-breast-cancer-will-be-released-after-plea-deal
Rev. Chris Schutte
Rector, Christ Church Anglican, Phoenix
Member of the Anglican Immigrant Initiative Taskforce
