Posted By: Brad Martin

By MEGAN REICHGOTT, Associated Press WriterWed Nov 15, 5:58 AM ET

CHICAGO - From a second-floor bedroom in a storefront church, Elvira Arellano scanned the Internet for news of her son — a 7-year-old boy who had traveled to Mexico to ask that nation to help his family and others like them.
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Dozens of Web site links flashed on her screen. Many featured headlines about the boy's appearance before Mexico's 500-member Chamber of Deputies and his plea that Mexico lobby Washington to stop the deportation of his mother.

Arellano, 31, who has taken refuge in the Methodist church during the past three months, learned that her son Saul had succeeded. Mexican lawmakers passed a resolution Tuesday asking President Bush to suspend his mother's deportation and that of any other illegal immigrant parents of U.S. citizens.

The second-grader, a U.S. citizen by birth, was a bit overwhelmed during his visit with Mexico's legislature. The boy hid his face and ducked under a table after being swamped by reporters.

Critics who say Saul is being used unfairly in the immigration reform debate don't understand what the family has gone through, said Arellano, wearing a white T-shirt emblazoned with "Who would Jesus deport?" on the front.

"Why do people criticize that Saulito is fighting to help keep his mother here?" Arellano said in Spanish.

The boy frets that immigration officials are going to deport her while he's away, but Arellano said she has done her best to ease his fears.

"It's a bit difficult, more for Saulito because always before he leaves the house, this church, he always asks, 'Who's going to be with you, who's going to take care of you?'" Arellano said.

Despite his worries, Saul's grades have improved since they moved into the church on Aug. 15, the day she was to surrender for deportation, said Arellano. His report card is dotted mostly with A's and B's. A shelf in her tiny bedroom is filled with school books.

The boy wants to be a firefighter, loves math, and has a tutor while traveling in Mexico, she said.

The school district allowed Saul to make the trip to Mexico. Students in Chicago public schools who have families in foreign countries can get permission from their principal to travel during the school year, but the practice is generally discouraged, said spokesman Michael Vaughn.

Arellano illegally crossed into the U.S. in 1997 and lived for three years in Oregon before moving to Chicago in 2000. Her current troubles began when she was arrested at O'Hare International Airport, where she worked as a cleaning woman under a false Social Security number. She served three years probation before being ordered to appear at the immigration office in Chicago. Instead, she took refuge in a Chicago church.

Arellano said again Tuesday that if immigration authorities want her they will have to come inside the church and get her.

U.S. officials say there is no right to sanctuary in a church under U.S. law, and nothing to prevent them from arresting Arellano.

Federal officials say Arellano is considered a fugitive, and can take her son with her to Mexico if she wants to keep the family together.

"Nothing really has changed. From our perspective, she's still considered to be an immigration fugitive," said Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokeswoman Gail Montenegro.

Though proud her son's foray into international affairs, Arellano couldn't help but worry about more practical matters.

"I was very nervous because he's never traveled to Mexico," she said. "People move very fast there so I had to explain to him to guard his wallet with his ID in his bag, and to guard his bag."

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