Community demands release of Maryland pastor who was arrested by ICE
As of Saturday, 54-year-old Daniel Fuentes Espinal was in custody at an ICE detention facility in Louisiana, records show.
Fuentes Espinal, a church pastor and construction worker, has lived in the U.S. since 2001. Those close to the family told WJZ that he is a father of three with no criminal record.
In a statement to WJZ, ICE said he entered the country at the time legally on a six-month visa, but that it expired.
"It's devastated our community," family friend Len Foxwell said. "It's shocked our community."
Foxwell told WJZ that Fuentes Espinal was arrested as he was on his way to his day job on July 21.
"Literally had been out that morning to pick up building supplies and was on his way to a job site when he got pulled over," Foxwell said. "He was arrested on site."
Fuentes Espinal is a pastor at Iglesia Del Nazareno Jesus Te Amam in Easton. The family has been working for years to secure a Green Card for him, Foxwell said.
After his arrest, Fuentes Espinal was taken to a detention center in Salisbury, transferred to Baltimore then to the Winn Correctional Facility in Louisiana.
"He spent three days at a detention center in Baltimore, sleeping on a cold bench with barely enough food to eat," Foxwell said. "Now, he's in Louisiana and heaven only knows what's happening there."
Fuentes Espinal is now awaiting a bond hearing in this case.
Members of the Easton community rallied Friday to demand that Fuentes Espinal be released.
A spokesperson for Republican Rep. Andy Harris of Maryland said he is aware of the situation involving Fuentes Espinal, but doesn't have "specifics" of the case.
"Congressman Harris believes due process within the immigration enforcement system is important and that facts should be clear before making any further public comment," the statement said.
Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland said his team is working with Fuentes Espinal's family. He also criticized the Trump administration, saying it is "snatching up anyone they can find as they pursue their mass deportation agenda."
Van Hollen has been extremely vocal about his opposition to the Trump administration's immigration effort, especially in the case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia.
Abrego Garcia was mistakenly deported from Maryland and sent to a prison in El Salvador in March. Van Hollen traveled to the country to check on Abrego Garcia's well-being and called for him to receive a fair immigration hearing.
Abrego Garcia was later returned to the U.S. to face federal human smuggling charges in a case that continues to play out in court.
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