Maryland Pastor Detained By ICE Transferred To Louisiana Facility
Daniel Fuentes Espinal, a Maryland pastor detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) earlier this week, has been transferred to a detention center in Louisiana, according to his family.
Espinal, 54, was moved Thursday to Winn Correctional Center, a men’s detention facility located roughly 250 miles northwest of New Orleans, his daughter Clarissa Fuentes Diaz confirmed.
“He’s doing a lot better than he was in Baltimore,” she said, noting that her father, who relies on daily heart and stomach medications, was receiving medical care at the new facility.
Espinal, originally from Honduras, arrived in the U.S. in 2001 on a six-month visa and never left. ICE officials stated that overstaying a visa for such a long period is a federal violation.
“Fuentes entered the United States on a six-month visa and never left in 24 years,” an ICE spokesperson said. “It is a federal crime to overstay the authorized period of time granted under a visitor’s visa.”
Espinal was arrested Monday in Easton, Maryland, where he has led a congregation of about 70 people at Iglesia del Nazareno Jesus Te Ama. He was initially held at a facility in Salisbury, then transferred to a Baltimore holding center that has faced ongoing criticism from advocates over its conditions.
His daughter said the family, including her mother and two younger siblings, is holding up but anxious about what comes next. Espinal has been trying to obtain a green card, and the family is now awaiting a court date related to his detention.
ICE arrests in Maryland have more than doubled under President Donald Trump, according to a Baltimore Banner analysis of agency data.
In response to Espinal’s arrest, the Maryland Legislative Latino Caucus released a statement condemning what it described as an unjust detention.
“We call for his immediate release and demand that immigration enforcement focus on real threats, not devoted community leaders,” the group said in a statement posted to Instagram. “Maryland must stand for safety, dignity, and humanity.”
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen also weighed in, saying his office has contacted Espinal’s family and will continue to monitor the situation.
“The Trump administration clearly isn’t targeting the most dangerous criminals,” Van Hollen said in a statement. “They are snatching up anyone they can find, as they pursue their mass deportation agenda and terrorize our communities.”
Maryland Pastor Detained By ICE Transferred To Louisiana Facility was originally published on wolbbaltimore.com
