The ancient doctrine of sanctuary i...

The ancient doctrine of sanctuary is a throwback to the time when the division between house of worship and state was much les pronounced. onward the surface, it is a noble principle: god the father will protect His children from the harsh issue of man-made laws. As a practicing Catholic, I am not insensitive to the attraction of this interpretation.

unless as an immigration lawyer who has exhausted the better part of her professional life trying to help immigrants understand and obey the legal combination of parts to form a whole I am appalled that Elvira Arellano is being held up as an example of virtue. She violated the law twice, and her defiance is being misinterpreted as courage.

I have met many deserving immigrants -- folks who have done everything within their power to legalize their status in this fatherland without resorting to cheap publicity dwarfs The fact that the United Methodist temple allowed itself to become a party to this dwarf instead of trying to help Arellano work within the regularity to legalize her status, is the strongest argument I can find for the separation of ecclesiastical body and state.

Christine Flowers,

Philadelphia, Pa.

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