2 families seek sanctuary at Germantown church

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Two families who lost their asylum cases are taking physical sanctuary at a church in Germantown.

Refusing to be separated from their families, they will continue to fight their cases while living at this First United Methodist Church.

Suyapa and her five children are from Honduras and entered our country four years ago fleeing the violence.

While she fights her asylum case, she is seeking shelter here with four of her kids.

Oneita Thompson and her family came here from Jamaica 15 years ago, running from gang violence.

She and her husband Clive have seven children, two of whom are US citizens. Thompson is seeking sanctuary

"I am seeking sanctuary here because I know it's a place of safety and that I can be with my family because family is the most important thing in this world. I am willing to do the sacrifice so I can be with children and family. They also lost their asylum case and now face being separated them from their five other children," she said.

They are taking sanctuary with their two youngest.

This is not the first time the First United Methodist Church of Germantown has provided sanctuary to families.

They started doing so back in the 1980s.

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