United States Border Patrol agents have arrested two Mexican pastors living in Texas who the government says overstayed their visas while they were traveling to attend a Billy Graham Evangelistic Association event.
On July 23, authorities arrested Cinthia Sarai Cardona Otero and then arrested her husband, Nepthali Zozaya Saucedo, the next day. The husband and wife are pastors at Comunidad Cristiana Emanuel, an Assemblies of God church in Edinburg, Texas.
A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) told The Christian Post Monday that the couple had entered the country on visas in February 2022 and “overstayed for four years after their visas expired on July 7, 2022.”
“They were released on Alternatives to Detention and are required to report in person to the Harlingen Field Office in 6 months and call in once a month,” DHS stated.
“All of their claims will be heard by a Justice Department immigration judge and they will receive full due process.”
According to an entry on the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) website, the Alternatives to Detention programs provide “important case management services” for non-detained immigrants and allow for supervised release under certain conditions.
“Participants are thoroughly vetted by officers before enrollment,” the site noted, with considered factors including criminal history, community ties, caregiver status, and medical or humanitarian issues.
The pastors were planning to attend a Spanish seminar hosted by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) on the topic of Bible-based spiritual leadership when they were arrested.
A BGEA spokesperson confirmed to CP that the couple was traveling to the event when they were arrested, but said the organization had “no further details to share” about the situation.
Critics of the detentions of Otero and Saucedo, including the Latino Christian National Network, have argued that the pastors were wrongfully detained, as they were in the process of legally obtaining lawful permanent residence in the United States.
“Pastor Nepthali and Pastor Cinthia are pastors, parents, and people who have dedicated their lives to serving others,” LCNN board member Sandy Ovalle told CP in a statement Monday. “Religious leaders are representatives of God who should not be detained for living out their faith and doing God’s work.”
“As people of faith and God’s servants, LCNN answered Jesus’ call for us to come together to protect God’s children. Pastor Nepthali and Pastor Cinthia’s release show the power of brothers and sisters in faith standing together and speaking out.”
The DHS spokesperson pointed to the CBP Home App and the government’s offer of $2,600 and a free flight to those who entered the country illegally in return for self-deporting.
“We encourage every person here illegally to take advantage of this offer and reserve the chance to come back to the U.S. the right legal way to live the American dream,” the spokesperson stated. “If not, you will be arrested and deported without a chance to return.”
