COLUMBUS (WCMH) – With all appeals exhausted and her deportation scheduled, a woman who has lived in Columbus for the last 20 years took sanctuary inside a church Monday morning.

Edith Espinal has a GPS ankle monitor on and the Immigration and Customs Enforcement knows her location. Twenty-five supporters marched downtown at the ICE office before they found out she sought sanctuary, instead of attending her last check in with ICE. Ruben Herrera said they will do whatever is necessary to protect her at the Columbus Mennonite Church.READ MORE: Columbus woman facing deportation meets with ICE again

Espinal’s daughter and son pleaded with authorities not to split the family up. Her daughter Stephanie said ICE left them no choice other than sanctuary after they had Edith buy a one-way ticket to Mexico for Oct. 10.

“We don’t want her to leave. We don’t want to be separated as we were before. I just cannot imagine not having my mom next to me,” said Stephanie Espinal. “It has been really hard. I see my mom stressed out, not knowing what is going to happen next.”

Stephanie and her older brother Isidro are American citizens. Brandow, the middle child is not.

“Being a human being, I don’t think my mom should be treated like that just because of some paper that defines us as being legal or illegal,” said Isidro.

There is no guarantee that ICE will not come here and arrest her, although they have said they generally avoid “sensitive locations” including churches.

“So we are going to organize like we never have before protect this family and other families going through similar situations,” said Ruben Herrera with the Central Ohio Workers Center.

Pastor Joel Miller said ICE claims it is deporting criminals and those who are a threat to society, but said Espinal is neither, and before this sanctuary she exhausted all legal channels to stay with her children.