Miami archbishop asks to hold Mass at Alligator Alcatraz. ‘Still waiting' for answer
Archbishop Thomas Wenski visited 'Alligator Alcatraz,' Florida's new migrant detention center located in an isolated airstrip near the Big Cypress National Preserve, to pray for for detainees. But the entrance of the facility is as far as he was able to go without approval from officials.
'Sunday PM about 25 Knights on Bikes stopped at entrance of Alligator Alcatraz and prayed a rosary for the detainees,' Wenski wrote on a post on X. 'Archdiocese is still waiting for approval to access to provide Mass for detainees.'
Officials at the Archdiocese said they are still awaiting a response from the facility to allow chaplains and clergy to visit and 'offer spiritual care, the sacraments, and the healing presence of Christ to those in detention.'
Wenski, who recently denounced the detention center, was joined by around 25 'Knights on Bikes,' a charitable Catholic men's ministry within the Knights of Columbus organization, and shared photos and videos of the pastoral excursion.
The Archdiocese of Miami called the visit 'a powerful moment of prayerful solidarity,' that reflects the organization's 'ongoing commitment to ministering to the marginalized and incarcerated.'
'...Decency requires that we remember the individuals being detained are fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters of distressed relatives,' Wenski said in a statement. 'We wish to ensure that chaplains and pastoral ministers can serve those in custody, to their benefit and that of the staff.'
Sunday's motorcycle visit is the second act of solidarity the Catholic church has shown in recent weeks to oppose Florida's crackdown on deportations. In a prior statement, Wenski said it was 'alarming to see enforcement tactics that treat all irregular immigrants as dangerous criminals.'
In the strongly word column posted to the Archdiocese of Miami's website earlier this month, Wenski said 'the apparent lack of due process in deportation proceedings in recent months,' was surprising and called the rhetoric surrounding the 'Alligator Alcatraz' 'intentionally provocative.'
Gov. Ron DeSantis and other state officials have repeatedly defended conditions for detainees at the pop-up migrant camp. Earlier this month, Stephanie Hartman, a spokeswoman for the Florida Division of Emergency Management, said detainees' stories about problems at the facility — including toilets that don't flush, large bugs and temperatures that fluctuate from icy to sweltering — were inaccurate.
'The reporting on the conditions in the facility is completely false,' Hartman told the Herald. 'The facility meets all required standards and is in good working order.'
This story will be updated.
This story was produced with financial support from Trish and Dan Bell and from donors comprising the South Florida Jewish and Muslim Communities, including Khalid and Diana Mirza, in partnership with Journalism Funding Partners. The Miami Herald maintains full editorial control of this work.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
17 minutes ago
- Newsweek
ICE Arrests Carpenter Named Jesus, Church Community Fights for His Release
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Jesus Teran, a Venezuelan immigrant and civil engineer working as a carpenter in Imperial, Pennsylvania, was reportedly detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on July 8 after a routine check-in at the agency's Pittsburgh field office. The Context Teran, 35, reportedly has no criminal record and was briefly sent to Northern Regional Jail in Moundsville, West Virginia, before being moved to Moshannon Valley Processing Center, according to local newspaper Observer-Reporter. The facility is operated by a private contractor, the GEO Group, in Phillipsburg, Pennsylvania, three hours away from his home. Teran's case highlights scrutiny of U.S. immigration enforcement practices, especially regarding individuals integrated into their communities without criminal records. Teran arrived in the United States in 2021, fleeing turmoil in Venezuela and seeking asylum to reunite with his family. He was initially denied entry in 2015, but successfully entered the U.S. six years later. The ICE database did not include any record of Teran as of Wednesday afternoon. Newsweek reached out to ICE via email for comment. What To Know Teran's arrest has galvanized a local Catholic church community and supporters, who have organized to aid his family and seek his release. The local response, led by St. Oscar Romero Parish and supported by nonprofit entities, highlights increasing concern over family separation and community impacts resulting from immigration policies. Terano and his family regularly attend Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal Church in Meadow Lands for services. "It's been a heartbreaking experience," Reverend Jay Donahue, senior parochial vicar at St. Oscar Romero Parish, told the Observer-Reporter. "He's been faithfully appearing at ICE appointments for more than four years, he was following the protocols of ICE, he was complying with everything he's supposed to do. All of a sudden, he's detained." Newsweek reached out to St. Oscar Romero Parish via phone and email for comment. Teran, his wife, and two daughters were reportedly familiar faces in both the church and the broader community, including work at a community garden. Teran reportedly helped till the ground in the garden and also repaired a faulty tiller. His family planted and watered flowers and crops while one of his daughters would bring homemade watermelon juice for refreshment. "He was building a life for himself and his family," Chris McAneny, director of housing for the nonprofit Wellness Collective, which led the garden installation, told the Observer-Reporter. "He's been contributing to his community, and he's well-respected within this community. He wanted to be a part of the community garden, and he was a big part of it." "And when we put in the plants, he was here two days a week watering them," McAneny added. Newsweek reached out to Wellness Collective for comment. Without U.S. credentials, Teran worked various jobs, including at convenience stores and doing deliveries as a DoorDash driver, before being accepted into a carpentry apprenticeship in winter 2024, Teran's former teacher, Barbara Hopkins, told The Bulwark. Over 20 letters of support, including from prominent religious and labor leaders, have been sent to authorities on Teran's behalf. A GoFundMe campaign and donations through the church support have been set up to aid the family. File: ICE Philadelphia conducts a work site enforcement operation at a car wash on January 28, 2025. File: ICE Philadelphia conducts a work site enforcement operation at a car wash on January 28, 2025. ICE/Getty Images What People Are Saying Former Pennsylvania Representative Conor Lamb, a Democrat, on X: "Maybe this breaks through to Christians. In my old district union carpenter—literally named Jesus—behind bars. Good record, kids, church, job. Came from Venezuela 2021, the year TPS granted for them. This is insane." What Happens Next An attorney has filed a court order for Teran's release from detention. Supporters remain hopeful but express urgency, as family and friends have not had in-person visitation, relying on costly daily phone calls for communication.
New York Post
an hour ago
- New York Post
Israel suggests it could annex parts of Gaza if Hamas rejects cease-fire deal
Israel could announce a plan to annex parts of the Gaza Strip to pressure Hamas to accept a cease-fire deal, according to a cabinet minister. Security cabinet member Zeev Elkin accused Hamas of trying to drag out the peace talks to gain leverage over Israel, with the official claiming an ultimatum was necessary to threaten the terror group into taking the negotiations seriously. 'The most painful thing for our enemy is losing lands,' he told local KAN public broadcaster. He said that the plan is a 'significant pressure tool' to tell Hamas that, 'the moment they play games with us they will lose land that they will never get back.' 4 Security cabinet member Zeev Elkin left, warned that Israel could annex parts of Gaza if Hamas did not agree to a cease-fire deal. REUTERS 4 The war has raged on for more than 21 months and resulted in a humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip. REUTERS Israel and the US pulled their negotiation teams from Qatar last week after accusing Hamas of showing 'a lack of desire to reach a cease-fire.' The terror group, which still holds 20 living hostages in the Gaza Strip, has maintained that it will not agree to any deal that does not ensure a permanent end to the war, a condition Israel has slammed as a non-starter as its leaders vowed to keep the fight going until Hamas is eradicated. Since the war began following the Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attack, members of Israel's far-right coalition have called for the full annexation of the Gaza Strip, a proposal slammed by most of the international community. Elkin's warning comes just a day after the UK presented its own ultimatum to Israel, calling on the Jewish state to end the war and humanitarian crisis in Gaza or else Britain would join France and formally recognize a Palestinian state before the UN in September. 4 Malnutrition has skyrocketed in Gaza after the Israeli military and a US-backed organization took over aid distribution. REUTERS 4 At least 24 children living in Gaza have died from malnutrition this month, according to the World Health Organization. AP Israel has repeatedly rejected any and all proposals for a two-state solution, saying any such outcome would reward Hamas. President Trump used the same language on Tuesday following British Prime Minister Keir Starmer's ultimatum, warning that the US would not follow suit. The president, however, joined international calls to address the widespread starvation in Gaza, telling reporters that the US and other nations would 'get a lot of money to the area so they can get some food.' With malnutrition deaths spiking in July, Israel has accused Hamas of using the crisis to drum up support to end the war and force the Jewish state to make concessions. Israel has since enacted temporary pauses in the fighting to allow more aid to enter Gaza, but dozens of deaths are still being reported after airstrikes hit locations where the stops were ordered. With Post wires
Time Magazine
an hour ago
- Time Magazine
Families of Israeli Hostages Condemn UK Plan to Recognize Palestinian State as ‘Reward for Terror'
Families of Israeli hostages held in Gaza and a former captive have condemned the U.K. government's announcement that it will recognize a Palestinian state this September unless Israel meets specific conditions, calling the move a dangerous concession to terrorism. Emily Damari, a British-Israeli citizen who was held hostage by Hamas for 471 days before her release in January, said she was 'deeply saddened' by the U.K.'s position. In a post on social media, she warned the decision risked legitimizing political violence. [time-brightcove not-tgx='true'] 'This move does not advance peace—it risks rewarding terror,' she said. 'It sends a dangerous message: that violence earns legitimacy.' TIME has approached Damari for comment. The announcement from Prime Minister Keir Starmer has triggered sharp responses both domestically and from within the global Jewish community. The Board of Deputies of British Jews, a leading U.K. Jewish organization, said it was seeking clarification that Britain would not recognize Palestinian statehood while Hamas continued to hold hostages and reject ceasefire terms. Damari was taken from her home in the Kfar Aza kibbutz during the October 7 Hamas terror attack that killed more than 1,200 people and led to the kidnapping of roughly 250 others. She was shot in the leg and hand during her abduction. Her release in January this year came as part of a temporary ceasefire that saw 30 hostages freed. The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, which represents relatives of those still being held in Gaza, echoed Damari's concerns, calling the U.K. move a 'clear violation of international law.' 'If the international community truly desires peace, it must join U.S. efforts by demanding first the release of all hostages, followed by an end to the fighting,' the group said in a statement Wednesday. An estimated 50 hostages remain in Gaza, 29 of whom are believed to be deceased, according to the Israeli government. U.K. joins other nations in move towards recognizing Palestinian state Starmer announced on Tuesday that the U.K. would move to formally recognize Palestine at the United Nations General Assembly in September, unless Israel halts military operations in Gaza, agrees to a ceasefire, and takes steps toward a sustainable two-state solution. He also urged Hamas to release all hostages, disarm, and forgo any role in governing Gaza. Recognition would mark a significant shift in British foreign policy and align the U.K. with growing European momentum behind Palestinian statehood. France made a similar pledge last week, with Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot hailing the U.K.'s decision as part of a broader push to 'break the endless cycle of violence' and 'reopen the prospect of peace in the region.' Ireland, which already recognizes Palestine, welcomed the development. 'We need aid to flow, release of hostages and a viable two-state solution,' Tánaiste Simon Harris said Tuesday. The growing push for recognition—largely driven by outcry over Israel's ongoing military campaign, mounting civilian casualties, and the stalled peace process—marks a critical turning point in international engagement with the conflict. The two-state solution—establishing independent Israeli and Palestinian states side by side—is widely viewed by the international community as the most viable path to lasting peace. In total, nearly 150 U.N. member states now recognize Palestine, but the backing of major Western powers like the U.K. and France adds new weight to the initiative. If implemented, Britain and France would become the first G7 nations to formalize recognition. Palestine recognition plan draws international support and condemnation The Palestinian Authority, which administers parts of the West Bank and represents the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO), welcomed Starmer's announcement. Hussein al-Sheikh, vice president of the PLO, called the U.K. move 'a confirmation of commitment to international law and the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination.' Hamas has not formally responded to the U.K. statement but welcomed Macron's similar proposal last week. In that statement, Hamas reiterated its desire to see an independent Palestinian state on 'all occupied lands'—a phrase broadly interpreted as including all of present-day Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a scathing rebuke, accusing Starmer of rewarding 'Hamas's monstrous terrorism and punishing its victims.' 'A jihadist state on Israel's border TODAY will threaten Britain TOMORROW,' he said. Israel's Foreign Ministry said the British decision undermined ceasefire negotiations and the ongoing efforts to secure the release of hostages. U.S. President Donald Trump also weighed in, warning that pressuring Israel would amount to 'rewarding Hamas,' though he stopped short of directly criticizing the U.K.
