EASTON, MD - Maryland’s Congressional Representatives Glenn Ivey and Sarah Elfreth are calling on the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to release an Easton pastor after he was reportedly detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) this week.
In a joint letter to Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem sent on July 23, Ivey and Elfreth say Pastor Daniel Fuentes Espinal was arrested and is currently being held at the Baltimore ICE Field Office. Espinal has served as the pastor of Iglesia del Nazareno Jesus Te Ama in Easton since 2015, according to the lawmakers. Ivey and Elfreth go on to say Espinal is a “pillar of the Easton community” with no criminal record.
The two congressional representatives say Espinal has been in the United States for 24 years and was originally from Honduras.
“Through his church ministry, Pastor Espinal has dedicated his life to improving the lives of some of his community’s most vulnerable members,” the lawmakers write.
Ivey and Elfreth say Espinal’s family has not seen him since his arrest, have had minimal contact with him, and fear he will be removed from Maryland. The two go on to say that while they support the Trump Administration’s efforts to detain and deport dangerous criminals, Espinal’s arrest does nothing to further national safety goals.
“As such, we would respectfully request that Pastor Espinal, who poses no risk to his community, be released as soon as possible so that he may be reunited with his family.” Ivey and Elfreth conclude.
Congressman Andy Harris, who represents Maryland's Eastern Shore, confirmed he was aware of Espinal's situation as well.
“We are aware of the situation involving Pastor Daniel Fuentes Espinal, but at this time we don’t have all the specifics of the case," Harris' office said in a statement to WBOC. "Congressman Harris believes due process within the immigration enforcement system is important and that facts should be clear before making any further public comment. More broadly, Rep. Harris has always believed that any immigration enforcement action taken should be based on accurate information and lawful immigration adjudication procedures.”
An acquaintance of Espinal contacted WBOC this week, saying the pastor “is a man of God who does a lot for the community.” WBOC also reached out to Jesus Te Ama and Espinal’s family for comment but did not receive an immediate response.