Churches will always be a place of sanctuary, whatever Donald Trump says

When the US authorities tried to deport Rosa del Carmen, she found refuge inside a church building - living there for two years. Isaac Villegas’ decision to provide sanctuary for an undocumented immigrant may have been politically controversial, but he believes it was line with historic Christian beliefs

During Donald Trump’s first term as US president, our church protected a woman named Rosa del Carmen from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) plans to deport her back to Honduras, where she had fled her physically abusive partner some years earlier. The government had flagged her for deportation even though her case was still in process in the courts. Our Mennonite congregation worked with the Presbyterian congregation that owned the church building to turn an office into her bedroom. She lived there, with us, for two years.

We organised our lives around her care and safety. She depended on us for everyday necessities. Church members ran errands and brought her food. We provided around-the-clock accompaniment, including overnight shifts, in case ICE agents showed up.