In the days since the Trump Administration has amped up ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) activity, it has become obvious that past precedents are being ignored. For many years ICE had been directed to focus its attention on undocumented individuals with criminal history, but it has become apparent now that ICE, in trying to meet its 3,000 arrests per day quota, is detaining thousands of people with zero criminal ties.
In a shock to many, this includes Christian church leaders and foreign nationals fleeing religious persecution from countries such as Iran and Afghanistan— people it was thought the Trump administration were sympathetic towards.
In June of this year two masked ICE agents arrested an Iranian husband and wife— members of a Farsi?speaking church serving Iranian believers —on a Los Angeles sidewalk. Both had pending asylum claims and no criminal history, yet were detained nonetheless. Reports indicate additional arrests of Iranian Christians in L.A., including another family worshiping at the same church. Many had lawful status or were complying with immigration court orders, trying to follow the directives of the government regarding their immigration statuses.
Historically, ICE has not arrested individuals with pending asylum petitions. But in 2025, that shifted as deportation goals intensified; ICE began detaining asylum-seekers who lacked criminal records, citing administrative changes that ended certain protections previously afforded to persecuted Christians, including Afghans. These new DHS priorities have led to direct arrests of individuals who previously were protected under CBP One entry procedures or Temporary Protected Status (TPS) programs. The DHS’s shift affects many Christians fleeing persecution in their home countries, exposing them to expedited removal without due process. Anyone aware even a little bit of world news knows that deporting an Afghan or Iranian Christian back to their home country would be a death sentence, which is why the U.S. has customarily allowed those facing religious persecution to file asylum claims.
ICE attacks on law-abiding church leaders have been happening all over the country, not just in California. In Tampa, Florida, Pastor Maurilio Ambrocio—after two decades in the country—was detained during a routine ICE check?in, and a deacon, Gonzalo Antonio Segura, was arrested while heading to work, despite having only a minor traffic infraction years ago. In Mississippi, a Danish homeschooling father was arrested at his final citizenship hearing over a documentation error.
Government data reveals that as of late May 2025, 65% of ICE “book-ins” involved individuals with no criminal convictions, and only 7% had been convicted of violent offenses. To pastors and congregations, arresting noncriminal, law?abiding Christians appears discriminatory, and internal DHS documents and church testimonies indicate that enforcement is disproportionately impacting ethnic?minority congregations, raising civil?rights concerns and creating fear within religious communities.
For persecuted Christians who seek safety in the U.S., the risks now extend beyond their home countries. Detention in lieu of protection undermines the foundational ideal that the U.S. is a refuge for those fleeing religious persecution. It’s a worrisome new norm when a person following the law can be taken off the street and put in detention, simply because their asylum case has not been decided yet.
We know these are scary times for many, and we encourage you to speak to an immigration provider about you and your family’s options so that you can be prepared.
If you need assistance filing for an immigration petition, you can reach us at (757) 422-8472, or send us a message on our website. You can also schedule an appointment with one of our attorneys by clicking on this link.
