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CHARLOTTE — The people believe they are the kind of illegal immigrants that should be allowed a chance to stay in the United States, despite their illegal status.

Almost two dozen church members from the El Buen Pastor Churches in Charlotte, Raleigh and Lumberton were in immigration court Thursday hoping for good news. An immigration judge told the majority of the group he wouldn't review their case again, that his decision was made and they were here illegally, regardless as to whether their arrest was legitimate or not.
 
"Families lives are going to be disrupted unless someone steps in and is able to stop this," said Glenn Hutchinson of Immigration Solidarity Committee. "The part of the story that struck me was is that these were members of a church that were going to a religious event in Texas and on their way back they were stopped and are now facing deportation."
 
The Southern Coalition for Social Justice raised question as to why the church vans were stopped in the first place in April of 2010 in Louisiana. The church members were on their way home to North Carolina from a religious event in Texas.
 
After the judge denied their request to review their case, almost all of the illegal immigrants agreed to voluntarily leave the country and return to Mexico. However, they also plan to appeal their case to the Immigrations Board of Appeals. While their cases are in appeal, they can stay in the United States.
 
The families have until Nov. 21 to leave the country unless they meet the appeal deadline of Oct. 24.