Evangelical Pastor Detained by ICE Denied a Bible During Holy Week

For millions of American families, Holy Week is a time of prayer, reflection, and gathering together in faith. For the family of Pastor Yeison Cortes Vasquez, this Holy Week looks very different — their husband and father is sitting in an ICE detention center in New Jersey, and for nearly a week, he wasn't even allowed to have a Bible.

Cortes Vasquez, 46, is a pastor at The Gathering Place Church in New Jersey. On March 20, while working a delivery route in Newark, ICE agents stopped him, allegedly over a vehicle registration issue. He has been in custody ever since. His family says he has an active asylum case. He has no criminal record and he has never been arrested.

Back home, his wife and three daughters are struggling. "His daughters are shaken up," said Rev. Dr. Gabriel Salguero, President of the National Latino Evangelical Coalition. "One of them doesn't want to eat. She's losing her appetite."

When church leaders tried to deliver a Bible to Cortes Vasquez at Delaney Hall Detention Center, they were turned away. He spent nearly a week in custody without access to scripture — even as he was already ministering to fellow detainees around him. Eventually, the facility allowed him to purchase one through its internal system.

"To know that he was denied access to a Bible for nearly a week, especially as we enter Holy Week, is deeply painful and troubling for our entire church family," said Reverend Enid Almanzar, Chairwoman of the National Latino Evangelical Coalition. "We are holding fast to our faith while calling for compassion, dignity, and the protection of our most fundamental freedoms for citizens and immigrants alike — especially our right to worship without government interference."

Cortes Vasquez is not alone. A recent report from the National Association of Evangelicals, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, and World Relief found that roughly 1 in 12 Christians in America either faces deportation risk or lives in a home where someone does.

"We're heartbroken…he's a vital part of the church," said Rev. Dr. Salguero.

Church leaders are trying to get him out of detention before Easter Sunday. In the meantime, his church family continues to pray — for his freedom, for his daughters, and for the grace to hold on through a very long Holy Week.

"For us, this is devastating because this is our holy week. This is the week we are celebrating the death and resurrection of our Lord. The church is devastated," said the Rev. Dan Mendez. "Instead of celebrating our spiritual holiday, we are crying and praying for the situation of our dear brother."