Indonesian man, told to leave US, seeks sanctuary in church
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A former Fulbright scholar has taken sanctuary inside a Connecticut church rather than be deported to his native Indonesia.
Sujitno Sajuti (suh-JEET'-no saw-JEHW'-tee) had been ordered by Immigration and Customs Enforcement to board a plane Tuesday. He instead entered Meriden's Unitarian Universalist Church.
The 68-year-old West Hartford resident came to the United States in 1981 on a Fulbright Scholarship, earning advanced degrees from Columbia University and the University of Connecticut. He overstayed his student visa and remained in the United States.
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He says he considers the U.S. home and would be a stranger in Indonesia. He says he's registered with immigration officials since 2001.
He's the third person to seek sanctuary this year inside a Connecticut church to avoid deportation.
President Donald Trump has taken a tough stance against illegal immigration, saying he needs to keep the country safe.