A Mexican immigrant who had been living in Philadelphia has relocated to a church, where he is now seeking sanctuary from deportation by federal authorities.
Juntos, a Philadelphia immigrant support group, says 40-year-old Javier Flores moved into Arch Street United Methodist Church on Sunday.
The father of three U.S.-born children is eligible for a "U-Visa," which the federal government provides to victims of certain crimes who have suffered mental or physical abuse.
If Flores' visa application is denied, he will be deported after 90 days.
Flores recently spent 16 months at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center.
He was detained because he was previously deported but returned to the United States to reunite with his family.