ICE Detains Mexican Pastor Couple with U.S. Citizen Children in Texas

The Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detained in Texas the Mexican pastors Nepthalí Zozaya Saucedo and Cinthia Saraí Cardona Otero. The couple has 3 U.S. citizen children and has worked for more than a decade at a church in Edinburg.

The detention occurred on July 23, after the family arrived at McAllen airport. The pastors were traveling to a marriage retreat organized by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association in North Carolina.

Religious leaders reported that immigration agents pressured the couple to sign voluntary departure documents. According to that allegation, agents reportedly mentioned a possible separation of their children if they did not sign.

What is known about the detention?

Nepthalí Zozaya Saucedo, 36, and Cinthia Saraí Cardona Otero, 34, are assistant pastors at Emanuel Christian Community. The congregation is located in Edinburg, in south Texas. The church is part of the Gulf Coast Hispanic District of the Assemblies of God. Its leaders stated that both entered the country legally and hold R-1 visas for religious workers.

According to Religion News Service, the couple has pending applications for permanent legal residence, known as a green card. That information comes from representatives of the National Latino Christian Network. The pastors are parents of a 7-year-old boy and nearly 3-year-old twins. All 3 children were born in the United States and are therefore U.S. citizens.

Leaders of the National Latino Christian Network held a press conference to demand the immediate release of the couple. They also requested that authorities respect their right to due process. Sandy Ovalle, a member of the network’s board of directors, stated that the couple refused to sign the documents. Their allegation has not been independently confirmed by ICE or the Department of Homeland Security.

The Department of Homeland Security did not respond to a request for comment from Religion News Service. Therefore, the official reason for the detention was not available at the time of publication.

What does it mean to have an R-1 religious visa?

The R-1 visa allows ministers and other religious workers who are not immigrants to perform temporary work in the United States. The program covers ministerial services and eligible religious occupations or vocations. The visa is not equivalent to permanent residence. However, it allows an authorized stay under specific conditions, as long as the person maintains eligibility and complies with corresponding immigration rules. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) establishes that a person with R-1 classification can remain for up to 5 years. After that maximum period ends, the person must leave the country unless they obtain another authorized immigration status.