A New Jersey pastor walked free from federal immigration detention after three weeks in custody, released on bond with GPS monitoring while facing deportation proceedings despite having no criminal record.

Pastor Detained During Food Delivery Work

Yeison Cortes Vasquez, a pastor at The Gathering Place Church in Elizabeth, New Jersey, was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement on March 20 while working his day job delivering food. The National Latino Evangelical Coalition released video footage showing Cortes Vasquez leaving ICE’s Delaney Hall Detention Facility in Newark. During his detention, church members reported that the pastor continued his ministry work by serving other detainees inside the facility.

Visa Overstay Led to Federal Action

The Department of Homeland Security confirmed that Cortes Vasquez entered the United States from Colombia and knowingly remained after his tourist visa expired in July 2016. DHS officials stated the pastor will receive full due process as he undergoes removal proceedings. The agency released him on bond with electronic monitoring rather than keeping him in federal custody. Immigration authorities maintain that visa violations constitute grounds for detention and potential deportation regardless of an individual’s current activities or community standing.

Religious Leaders Call System Broken

Reverend Dr. Gabriel Salguero, president of the National Latino Evangelical Coalition and senior pastor at The Gathering Place, celebrated the release while criticizing the detention itself. Salguero argued that Cortes Vasquez should never have been detained in the first place, calling the case evidence of a broken immigration system. The religious leader emphasized that border security and humane treatment are not mutually exclusive goals. He called for an immigration approach that upholds both the rule of law and human dignity, allowing for secure borders while ensuring fairness and due process for pastors, families, and those seeking refuge in America.