Esteban Rodriguez, who leads Centro Cristiano El Pan de Vida, a mid-size Church of God of Prophecy congregation in Kissimmee, Florida, said Latino evangelical churches “are like a big family that is composed of families.” In his community, those who are here without legal status have even been afraid to go to work, church and to food pantries to fulfill their basic needs, he said.
De La Rosa, who oversees Church of God of Prophecy congregations in nine southeastern states, says he has had to respond quickly to the Trump administration's new orders, which have thrown out policies that restricted immigration enforcement in sensitive locations such as schools and houses of worship.
A statement from the Department of Homeland Security on Jan. 20 said the president's executive order will empower officers with Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection to enforce immigration laws and that “criminals will no longer be able to hide in America’s schools and churches to avoid arrest.”.
Latino evangelical churches gear up to face possible immigration enforcement in churches Bishop Ebli De La Rosa says his motto right now is “to prepare for the worst and pray for the best.”.
This move has imperiled 32 of the Latino evangelical denomination's 70 pastors who are here without legal status and serve in some of the region's most vulnerable communities, De La Rosa said.
