Fresh air.
That is one of the things Jose Figueroa misses the most, after spending an entire year inside the Walnut Grove Lutheran Church, unable to step outside to feel sunshine on his face. He can鈥檛 go outside for fear he will be arrested by Canadian Border Service Agency officers who would hold him in an immigration detention centre.
For Figueroa, he has missed a Christmas at home with his family, his children鈥檚 birthday parties, and regular day-to-day life with his wife and kids.
鈥淚 miss my freedom,鈥� he said on Thursday.
Saturday, Oct. 4 will mark exactly one year since the 91原创 father of three was forced to seek sanctuary inside his church after the CBSA put out a warrant for his arrest.
A potluck is being organized on Oct. 4 at 5:30 p.m. at the church. Figueroa is hoping the community will come out and support his family鈥檚 quest to stay together in Canada.
Officers from the CBSA park at the church on a regular basis, making sure Figueroa stays within it, or else they are ready to arrest him.
Despite a federal judge ordering a stay of his deportation order, the CBSA didn鈥檛 drop the arrest warrant.
With support from his pastor and the congregation, Figueroa has lived an entire year within the walls of his church.
鈥淧astor Karl (Keller) has been a great support and so have the members of this church. Many bring me food,鈥� he said.
A very small room has been converted into his bedroom with a bunk bed for his children to sleep there too. The communal kitchen is his place to make meals, and luckily there is a shower so he can stay clean. A local personal trainer had volunteered time to work out with him to help him keep fit.
鈥淚 haven鈥檛 dared to step out to the back yard, so I鈥檝e never been outside this whole year,鈥� he said. His skin has lightened.
His wife and children visit all the time, and many times the girls stay the night 鈥� but Figueroa said they have grown bored of playing at the church.
鈥淜ids need to go places and be with their friends.鈥�
Despite a federal judge ruling that Figueroa鈥檚 deportation order be sent back for another review by a different officer, the CBSA still has him under surveillance.
鈥淔rom my perspective, I can鈥檛 understand why they are still out there wanting to arrest me like a criminal. I have done nothing wrong and I鈥檓 certainly not a criminal,鈥� he said. 鈥淚f the CBSA dropped the arrest warrant I could go back home, go back to work to provide for my family. The ministry must answer to why they are still pursuing the arrest warrant when a judge has clearly indicated my status in Canada needs to be reviewed.鈥�
In fact, Federal Court Judge Mosley questioned and couldn鈥檛 find reasonable answers from the immigration ministry鈥檚 lawyer as to why Figueroa was considered a threat and therefore inadmissible when the FMLN, the political organization he supported in El Salvador is not on any Canadian terrorist list, never has been and is now the current democratically elected government there.
Mosley even suggested to the ministry that if Figueroa was not granted permanent status in Canada, then potentially the same decision should apply to the thousands of El Salvadorians living in Canada.
Just last week, 91原创 MP Mark Warawa sent yet another letter of support for Figueroa, calling on the government to let him stay in Canada permanently, emphasizing that he is a 鈥渕odel citizen.鈥� He is in full support of Figueroa being able to stay in Canada with his family and calls on his government to have 鈥渃ommon sense.鈥� Yet, Figueroa remains trapped 鈥� waiting for common sense to prevail.
The church is located at 20530 88 Ave.
