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Mormon leader faces deportation
KSTU (Fox 13, Salt Lake City) ^ | April 29, 2011 | Arikka Von and staff

Posted on 04/30/2011 4:38:37 PM PDT by Colofornian

DRAPER, Utah— Federal officers arrested 53 year old Felix Callejas, his wife and two of their children at their home April 19. Immigration and Customs Enforcement says a judge ordered Luca Callejas to return to El Salvador in 2008.

Callejas' other family members got the same deportation order in 2009. The family appealed and their case was dismissed earlier this month.

Callejas is the president of a Spanish speaking LDS Church branch in Draper. Concerned church members called local activist Tony Yapias saying they're now afraid to go to church.

“The whole membership was devastated over what happened,” says Latino rights advocate Tony Yapias.

Yapias says concerned Mormons called him heartbroken that their branch president, 53-year-old Felix Callejas and his family, were arrested by federal immigration officers.

Callejas was arrested April 19 and remains in jail for living in the U.S. as an illegal alien. His wife and two of their children were also arrested, but have since been released from jail.

Yapias says the family has been seeking political asylum from El Salvador. Yapias says the family is not unique and that many others are arrested every day.

“A lot of people are saying ‘why this happening?’ how could this happen?’ Some members are afraid to go to church and they are saying ‘are they going to come after us?’” Yapias said.

The LDS Church recently reaffirmed its support of legislation passed last session that created a guest worker program in Utah.

The LDS Church Media Relations Manager Scott Trotter issued the following statement following Callejas’ arrest:

This case reminds us all of the need to address immigration reform. As we have stated, we believe any solution should include the following three principles:

• The commandment to "love thy neighbor"

• The importance of keeping families intact

• The federal government's obligation to secure its border.


TOPICS: Current Events; Other Christian; Religion & Culture; Theology
KEYWORDS: aliens; antimormonfatwa; antimormonjihad; antimormonrant; bitterexmormon; blah; blahblah; blahblahblah; blahblahblahblah; blahblahblahblahblah; deportation; flamebait; flamewar; formormormon; hateful; illegalimmigration; illegals; inman; lds; mormoaner; mormon; mormophobia; mormophobic; religiousbigotry; religiousflamewar; religioushatred; religiousintolerance; utah; whinymormons
From the article: DRAPER, Utah— Federal officers arrested 53 year old Felix Callejas, his wife and two of their children at their home April 19...Callejas is the president of a Spanish speaking LDS Church branch in Draper...Callejas was arrested April 19 and remains in jail for living in the U.S. as an illegal alien.
1 posted on 04/30/2011 4:38:39 PM PDT by Colofornian
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To: Colofornian

What is going on with the LDS and illegals? Are the Mormons becoming too lazy to work, like the Californians?


2 posted on 04/30/2011 4:49:47 PM PDT by MSF BU (YR'S Please Support our troops: JOIN THEM!)
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To: Colofornian

What a whine fest..........


3 posted on 04/30/2011 4:51:48 PM PDT by Osage Orange (I knew what I was feeling, but what was I thinking!)
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To: AdmSmith; AnonymousConservative; Berosus; bigheadfred; ColdOne; Convert from ECUSA; Delacon; ...

Thanks Colofornian.
Concerned church members called local activist Tony Yapias saying they're now afraid to go to church.
Now why would that be?


4 posted on 04/30/2011 4:51:55 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (Thanks Cincinna for this link -- http://www.friendsofitamar.org)
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To: Colofornian

LDS has targeted Hispanics as a major goal for increasing membership.

While most other religions target parts of the world where people don’t have formal religions for missionary activity, Mormons target Christian countries. Mitt Romney was a missionary in Catholic France.


5 posted on 04/30/2011 5:10:29 PM PDT by bwc2221
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To: 1_Inch_Group; 2sheep; 2Trievers; 3AngelaD; 3pools; 3rdcanyon; 4Freedom; 4ourprogeny; 7.62 x 51mm; ..

Ping!


6 posted on 04/30/2011 5:16:44 PM PDT by HiJinx (Old Cold Warrior)
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To: Colofornian

• The commandment to “love thy neighbor”

We cn love them just as easy when they arte backhome3 SOUTH of the border

• The importance of keeping families intact

Yes, let them all go home together...dont keep any of them here...

• The federal government’s obligation to secure its border.

Strange that those first 2 bullet statements seem to contradict this one


7 posted on 04/30/2011 5:24:10 PM PDT by Tennessee Nana
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To: Colofornian
... a judge ordered Luca Callejas to return to El Salvador in 2008.

AoF #11:

We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law.


We believe they ARE liars!

8 posted on 04/30/2011 5:56:41 PM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: Elsie
South of the Border...
9 posted on 04/30/2011 6:03:36 PM PDT by Utah Binger (Southern Utah where the Inman FReepers Meet July 23 Pray Jim Rob Can Make It)
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To: bwc2221
Catholic France?

Last I checked, France was mostly atheist like most of Europe. And Muzzies are turning Catholic churches into mosques.

More power to anyone who makes any efforts to reverse that trend. Even if they turn the French into Buddhists or Hindus.

10 posted on 04/30/2011 8:44:01 PM PDT by Vigilanteman (Obama: Fake black man. Fake Messiah. Fake American. How many fakes can you fit in one Zer0?)
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To: MSF BU

My bishop and his family is form Canada and was deported even though he was waiting for official papers to be finalized.

He had to uproot and leave for two months and now that it is cleared up he is officially an American Citizen.

My Bishop has a partnership in business with another former Canadian.


11 posted on 05/15/2011 1:30:41 PM PDT by restornu (God Bless America!)
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To: restornu

Canada?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polygamy_in_North_America


12 posted on 05/17/2011 3:10:34 AM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: Colofornian
This case reminds us all of the need to address immigration reform.

How about 'addressing' following the laws of the land as they stand?

Is THAT too hard to do?

13 posted on 05/17/2011 3:13:40 AM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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