An immigrant woman who has spent 15 months living in a Tucson church has left its sanctuary after reaching an agreement with the government that allows her to stay in the US.
Rosa Robles Loreto, who moved into Southside Presbyterian church in August 2014, left its confines for the first time in more than a year on Wednesday, the Associated Press reported. She was one of several migrants who sought refuge in the church last year.
Robles Loreto’s case began in September 2010 when, on her way to work, she drove on the wrong side of traffic cones in a construction zone. The sheriff’s deputy who pulled her over called immigration agents, triggering deportation proceedings. She was held in detention for 53 days before being released, as the government began formal deportation proceedings.
Robles Loreto, a 42-year-old mother of two, had wide support in Tucson, with tens of thousands of signs with her photo placed on lawns and businesses. In June, she told the Guardian that living in the church has “been a struggle. It’s hard. I’m a little tired.”
The Pima County board of supervisors and the Tucson city council passed resolutions urging leniency by the federal government.
Rory Carroll contributed reporting
