The Trump Administration’s Latest Attacks on Immigrants Threaten Religious Freedom

In late October, Rev. James Eliud Ngahu Mwangi, an Episcopal priest serving in the Diocese of Texas, was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Rev. Mwangi was taken into custody while returning home from one of his jobs as a Corrections Officer for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice despite having valid work authorization and long-standing ties to his congregation. The Episcopal Diocese of Texas’s most recent press release states: 

“Contrary to reports that Father James violated immigration laws, he has documentation that validates his legal status, pending the processing of his initial immigration request.... During this time, they are allowed to remain in the US legally, be issued a Social Security Number, and become employed taxpayers. Fr. James did not ignore the laws or any legal responsibility as his pending case remained in process.” 

The diocese emphasized that Rev. Mwangi had “served both the Church and the State of Texas faithfully,” and that his detention violated basic principles of justice and fairness.

This incident follows a similar pattern seen last year with the detention of Imam Ayman Soliman, a former Cincinnati Children’s Hospital chaplain who was detained by ICE in Florida and later released in September, and Marwan Marouf, a Dallas Muslim community leader arrested by ICE in late September. 

There are now numerous reports that ICE is targeting clergy who serve with compassion and devotion, often without legal justification, causing harm to both the clergy and the faith communities they serve. 

This increasing disregard for due process by the Trump administration should be concerning to everyone. It is also a clear example of how anti-immigrant rhetoric can have real-life implications. If we allow for the dehumanization of immigrants, even beloved faith leaders can be treated as security threats rather than community anchors.

The detention of  Rev. Mwangi without cause shows how this administration weaponizes anti-immigrant rhetoric to build support for authoritarian control. It is a direct contradiction to the government’s obligation to uphold both due process and the freedom of religion guaranteed by our Constitution.

Interfaith Alliance has maintained, in response to similar incidents, that religious freedom requires not only the absence of interference but also active protection for those who dedicate their lives to service. Protecting faith leaders from unjust treatment is a reaffirmation of our shared values of dignity, fairness, and equal justice under the law.

The views and beliefs expressed in this post and all Interfaith Alliance blogs are those held by the author of each respective piece. To learn more about the organizational views, policies and positions of Interfaith Alliance on any issues, please contact [email protected].