{"id":75033,"date":"2020-02-27T20:39:30","date_gmt":"2020-02-28T03:39:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/rosa-sabido-supporters-seek-help-from-u-s-rep-scott-tipton\/"},"modified":"2026-03-31T05:34:34","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T11:34:34","slug":"rosa-sabido-supporters-seek-help-from-u-s-rep-scott-tipton","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/rosa-sabido-supporters-seek-help-from-u-s-rep-scott-tipton\/","title":{"rendered":"Rosa Sabido supporters seek help from U.S. Rep. Scott Tipton"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\"Joanie
Joanie Trussel with Rosa Belongs Here hands a petition signed by 2,750 people to a staff member for U.S. Rep. Scott Tipton on Thursday in Durango. The petition asks Tipton to introduce a bill in the U.S. House of Representatives that would provide a legal path for Rosa Sabido to stay in the country. Sabido, who entered the country illegally with her family 32 years ago, has spent the past 1,000 days living in sanctuary at the United Methodist Church in Mancos. Standing behind Trussel, from left, are Jennifer Kain-Rio, Sabido\u2019s attorney; Michelle Ferrigno Warren, Democrat candidate for U.S. Senate; and Leah Smith, a Sabido supporter.<\/span>Jerry McBride\/Durango Herald<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

About 80 supporters of Rosa Sabido, who has been living for the past 1,000 days in sanctuary at the United Methodist Church in Mancos, gathered for a vigil Thursday in front of U.S. Rep. Scott Tipton\u2019s Durango office.<\/p>\n

The supporters also delivered a petition organized by Rosa Belongs Here<\/a> and signed by 2,750 people asking Tipton, R-Cortez, to introduce a bill in the U.S. House of Representatives that would provide a legal path for Sabido to stay in the country.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is the only legal option that exists to allow her to remain in the country legally,\u201d Sabido\u2019s lawyer, Jennifer Kain-Rios, told the crowd.<\/p>\n

Sabido, a longtime Cortez resident who entered the country illegally with her family 32 years ago, had established a productive and lawful life in Cortez for 30 years before any effort was made to deport her, Kain-Rios said.<\/p>\n

\"Wendolyn
Wendolyn Omana with Rosa Belongs Here speaks to about 80 people in front of the building housing U.S. Rep. Scott Tipton\u2019s Durango office Thursday during a vigil for Rosa Sabido, an immigrant in the country illegally who has been in sanctuary for 1,000 days.<\/span>Jerry McBride\/Durango Herald<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

Kain-Rios said she had successfully applied for six stays of deportation for Sabido before the seventh stay was denied in May 2017. Sabido entered sanctuary in the Mancos church on June 2, 2017.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe has lived here for so long and she has tried in so many ways to find a solution. At this point, a private bill is the only way to bring about change,\u201d Kain-Rios said in delivering the petition to Tipton\u2019s office.<\/p>\n

Joshua Green, chief of staff for Tipton, said after conversations with the House committee that handles private bills, Tipton\u2019s office determined that a private bill would not work in the House \u201cbecause the case does not meet the committee\u2019s criteria for private bills.\u201d<\/p>\n

Green added, \u201cWe have explained this to members of the group in the past and have also encouraged them to engage Sen. (Michael) Bennet, who has indicated his support for a private bill in the Senate.\u201d<\/p>\n

Federal privacy law, he said, prevents him from commenting about specific casework Tipton\u2019s office has conducted with Sabido.<\/p>\n

He added in an email: \u201cWe are aware of Rosa\u2019s situation, and currently have an open case on her behalf. Congressman Tipton is always committed to helping people in the 3rd District navigate problems with federal agencies and understands the passion the community has for Rosa and their frustration.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"About
About 80 people gathered in front of the building housing U.S. Rep. Scott Tipton\u2019s Durango office Thursday during a vigil for Rosa Sabido who has been in sanctuary for a 1,000 days.<\/span>Jerry McBride\/Durango Herald<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

Michelle Ferrigno Warren, a Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate who attended the vigil, said the gathering on East Second Avenue was a beautiful expression of community support to help Sabido change her immigration status and return her life to normal.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis would help her move beyond sanctuary, to move beyond wondering if she can stay here,\u201d Ferrigno Warren said.<\/p>\n

Outside Tipton\u2019s office, Wendolyn Omana with Rosa Belongs Here told the crowd when Sabido entered sanctuary in June 2017, she thought she might be there a few weeks, perhaps a month.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe never imagined she would be in sanctuary for 1,000 days. Imagine being trapped in your house for only three days,\u201d Omana said.<\/p>\n

Sabido, who addressed the crowd via a recording, thanked attendees for their support.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor 1,000 days, I\u2019ve entered sanctuary with the conviction that justice is equal and fair for all. Now, I only have my faith that justice will prevail,\u201d she said on the recording.<\/p>\n

\"About
About 80 people gathered in front of the building housing U.S. Rep. Scott Tipton\u2019s Durango office Thursday during a vigil for Rosa Sabido who has been in sanctuary for a 1,000 days.<\/span>Jerry McBride\/Durango Herald<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

Jennifer Trussel with Rosa Belongs Here asked Tipton\u2019s office to respond to the group within 30 days with a decision about whether he would introduce the private immigration bill in Congress.<\/p>\n

Kain-Rios said if Tipton agreed to introduce a private bill to legalize Sabido\u2019s immigration status, it might lead to bigger, much-needed reform of immigration law.<\/p>\n

\u201cPrivate bills have often been a harbinger of broader change that\u2019s needed,\u201d she said. \u201cAnd broader reform is needed with immigration laws that leave so many anxious, living under a system where enforcement is so arbitrary they don\u2019t know what will happen next.\u201d<\/p>\n

parmijo@durangoherald.com<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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