PORTLAND, Oregon (AP) — An immigrant activist who took refuge at an Oregon church more than a month ago to avoid deportation has been arrested on federal charges of illegal re-entry.

Francisco Aguirre, who came to the U.S. from El Salvador nearly two decades ago, was arrested in court on Thursday. He was there to settle a case of driving while intoxicated.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement deported Aguirre to El Salvador in 2000 after a drug conviction. He then unlawfully re-entered the country.

Aguirre came to the attention of authorities in August after his arrest for driving under the influence.

Aguirre is among those who have taken sanctuary in U.S. churches in recent years, as immigration reform has stalled, because authorities generally don’t make arrests in sensitive locations.

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