Jose Figueroa and Minister of Immigration

sanctuary: Yesterday he learned he can stay in Canada, and plans to leave his sanctuary on Dec. 23, his birthday, according to CBC. Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship John McCallum found "sufficient humanitarian and compassionate considerations" in his case to warrant an exception. "As you can imagine, after two or more years being locked up in the church, me and my family and anybody who is supporting us, there is so much joy," said Figueroa. The Langley man has been living in the Walnut Grove Lutheran Church for the past two years, after he took sanctuary when the Canadian government moved to deport him for his political activities in El Salvador nearly two decades ago. Jose Figueroa waits in sanctuary as courts decide his fate Failed asylum seeker from El Salvador says he not a threat El Salvador homicide rate soaring with gang truce no longer in effect Not a terrorist group When Figueroa claimed refugee status in Canada in 1997, he was open about his involvement with Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front a player in the Salvadoran Civil War that morphed into a left-wing political party after peace accords were signed in 1992. His wife and Canadian-born son and daughters were allowed to stay, but he was told to return to El Salvador and parent by Skype, according to his lawyer. "Finally after 18 years we will be home."- Jose Figueroa Instead Figueroa, who had lived in Langley 16 years, refused to leave his family and took refuge in the church. But in 2010, years after Figueroa came to Canada and had three children, immigration officials ruled him "inadmissible "and moved to deport him. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.