Mexican family fearful of deportation spends months in sanctuary in Sherbrooke, Que., church

Georgina Flores goes up to the kitchen every night to prepare one of her family's favourite meals.

"Je prépare tacos mexicanos, posoles, tamales, chile rellenos," Flores begins in French, switching between her recently acquired language and her native Spanish as she goes through the list of classic Mexican dishes.

While she takes comfort in the daily routine that brings her family some semblance of normalcy, the kitchen isn't hers. It's the one normally used for community events at Plymouth Trinity United Church in Sherbrooke, Que.

The church is now the closest thing to a home that Flores's family has had since they moved in on Nov. 8, 2021, the date the Canadian Border Services Agency had set for the family's deportation to their native Mexico.

They learned through a letter in October that their application for a pre-removal risk assessment had been denied. That step is one asylum seekers can request if they are ineligible for refugee status but believe they are at risk of torture, persecution or death if they are deported.

Flourishing lives in Sherbrooke

Flores owned a small restaurant near the university in Torreón, in the Mexican state of Cohuila, until 2018.

That's when Flores said a drug cartel demanded she start selling drugs. When she refused, Flores said they burned down the business and later set fire to her daughter's home, with the woman and Flores's granddaughter trapped inside.

The family fled, arriving in Canada in 2018. A friend suggested they settle in Sherbrooke, in Quebec's Eastern Townships, as it is quieter and more peaceful than Montreal, Flores explained.

She and her husband, Manuel Rodriguez, eventually got jobs working on a production line at a local factory, working from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m.

Their son, Manolo, now 18, went to high school while working at a local doughnut shop.

Being away from his friends for the past four months has been the most difficult part of the ordeal, said Manolo's father.

The family is now waiting to see if their application for a temporary residency permit, filed in December 2021, will be granted.

"This is just not a life," Rodriguez said, in a church sitting room. "We wake up and don't feel like talking anymore. My son is really disillusioned because we haven't received any news."

"But we try to be strong to show our son we're still standing."

Flores has a simple answer when asked what will happen if her family is forced to return to Mexico.

"Nos van a matar."

"They are going to kill us," she says.

Waiting for answers

The Rodriguez-Flores family's lawyer, Stewart Istvanffy, told CBC it can take three to six months to get an answer after applying for temporary residency.

He has also petitioned to allow the family to stay on humanitarian grounds, which could eventually help them acquire permanent residency.

CBC News obtained copies of police reports and photos depicting the alleged crimes.

"There's no protection in Mexico, and good people like this are really in danger," said Istvanffy. "This is a great country. We should give them protection."

Liberal MP Elizabeth Brière, the member of Parliament for Sherbrooke, met with the family twice. In an email, her office said she cannot comment on specific cases but stated that Brière is regularly following up with Immigration Minister Sean Fraser.

Fraser's office also told CBC he cannot comment on the specifics of the Flores-Rodriguez family's case because of privacy concerns.

"Our government is committed to upholding a fair and compassionate refugee protection system and supporting those in need," the statement said.

Flores said she understands her family's case comes at a time when Canada is busy dealing with changes to its immigration rules to welcome Ukrainians fleeing the war.

She said her heart goes out to the displaced Ukrainians, and she supports them. However, she also wonders why her family, who already had an apartment, jobs and lives here, are in the situation they're in.

"We are also refugees," she said. "We'd like a second chance, and to be heard."

'An enormous blessing' for churchgoer

Flores said whatever the outcome, she will forever be thankful to Plymouth Trinity United Church for welcoming them.

The family did not realize it was a Protestant church until they walked in on November 8.

"I said, 'but Father, we are Catholic', and he told me, 'We are all children of God.'"

Shanna Bernier is on the board of directors at Plymouth Trinity. She said when the board members were informed of the family's situation they put it to a vote — and unanimously decided to take them in.

"This is one of the first times in my life that I feel like we are using this building and we are using any social power we have to do something good," said Bernier. "I felt instantly and overwhelmingly called to do this."

"For me personally, it's been an enormous blessing. It's been a very steep learning curve. But it's also meant I gained all these people that I love in my family."

Concept of sanctuary a long-held tradition

The concept of sanctuary goes back centuries, if not millenia, and is a tradition in many religions, including Christianity, Hinduism and Islam.  And while it is not legally binding, border officials generally respect the principle, said Bernier.

In an email, Canada Border Services Agency said it ''has a legal obligation to remove all foreign nationals found to be inadmissible to Canada under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act."

But it also stated that "while there is no legal restriction for the CBSA to enter a place of worship to execute an arrest warrant, the Agency prefers to engage with the individual(s) subject to immigration enforcement and the institution providing sanctuary with the goal of achieving voluntary compliance.''

Bernier hopes that will continue to be the case, until the Rodriguez-Flores family's case is heard.

In the meantime, she is co-ordinating with volunteers to deliver supplies and groceries to the family, allowing Flores to cook the same dishes she used to serve at home.

Bernier said she hopes one day soon, they will be able to share a community meal — with the Rodriguez-Flores family — outside the confines of the church.

"I'm really looking forward to the fiesta at the end of all this."