A special mass at a Manhattan church Sunday honored an undocumented immigrant who is staying there, seeking sanctuary from deportation.
"It's like sending out a message that 'We are here with you. You're not alone,'" said Father Luis Barrios, the priest of the church. "That's where we are at this moment, because she's waiting on standby. What's going to come out, no one knows."
Elected officials and religious leaders held the service at Holyrood Church in Washington Heights for Amanda Morales and other immigrants across the country who are looking for sanctuary spaces.
Morales, a Guatemalan immigrant who moved to the United States 13 years ago, is the mother of three children, who are U.S. citizens.
But last week, federal immigration officials told her she would be deported.
Since then, she and her children have sought refuge at the church, where people have offered their prayers and well-wishes.
"We're putting a prayer out on behalf of Amanda and all undocumented individuals that we have in this nation, hoping that it will help for the members of ICE to open their hearts," said City Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez, who represents parts of Manhattan, including Washington Heights.
Church members and local leaders are expected to head to Federal Plaza on Monday and demand that officials stop Morales's deportation order.