"It's tricky. Things are being done unobtrusively, gently. The people who feel strong about giving support are doing it, but not drawing attention because they don't want to create more conflict for the people they are trying to help."
Sylvia Castellanos, who works for the Coalition for the Rights and Dignity of Immigrants, is slowly working her way through churches in Ohio, offering information sessions for congregations about the plight of illegal immigrants.
She said church leaders so far have all welcomed the dialogue, but churchgoers who attend the sessions are not always as inviting.
"We live in this area which is very conservative and people who come to these events sometimes follow stereotypes," Castellanos said. "But it is good for them to come with their concerns, to have that dialogue."
SHOULD BE IN JAIL
Dialogue can be difficult at First United Methodist Church in Hamilton, Ohio. Just seven miles from John Wesley, First United is within the border of Butler County, home to the poultry plant that was raided.
Debate over immigration has raged in Butler County, where an influx of immigrants has brought Mexican grocery stores and bakeries. Opponents say Hispanics bring crime, put strains on schools or hospitals, and take American jobs.
The First United congregation is conflicted.
"I would say we're fairly evenly split," said Rev. Kenn Barton. "We have some people who see it in terms of legality ... 'They're illegal so we can't have them in our church. They don't have to come to worship because they should be in jail, or back in their country.'"
Barton is trying to broker change through education and a focus on God's love, but treads carefully. Even discussing the issue is sensitive, and Barton apologises when members of his congregation opposed to illegal immigration refuse to discuss it with an outsider.
"It's tough," he said. "I tend to try to go slow."
John Wesley pastor Kreps said he, too, is still struggling to reconcile all the issues around illegal immigration as he waits for more scared families to show up on his doorstep. In the meantime, he's thinking about another long-ago family struggling to find shelter.
"Of course we're coming into Christmas and the question: 'Is there room at the inn?'," Kreps said. "I'd rather be someone who makes room somewhere."
