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Detained pastor couple had religious worker visas, Assemblies of God leaders say

July 25, 2026 · 1 min read

(RNS) — An Assemblies of God pastor has said he and his wife, also a pastor, were “pressured” with prolonged separation from their U.S. citizen children if they did not sign voluntary departure papers after immigration authorities detained them.

During a press conference Friday (July 24), hosted by leaders from the Assemblies of God and the Latino Christian National Network, Nepthali Zozaya Saucedo said he and his wife, who came to the U.S. legally, were repeatedly pressured to sign voluntary departure papers but that they had refused.

“They spoke with us about separation — to be separated from our children and even as married people,” Zozaya, 36, said in Spanish, speaking on the phone from detention at U.S. Border Patrol Central Processing Center in McAllen, Texas. “They spoke about how much time that we could end up spending here.”

At the press conference, Sandy Ovalle, a board member of the Latino Christian National Network, said Zozaya and his wife, Cinthia Sarai Cardona Otero, 34, have valid R-1 religious worker visas.

Sarai Martinez Luna, senior pastor at Comunidad Cristiana Emanuel in Edinburg, Texas, where Zozaya and Cardona are assistant pastors, emphasized how…

Source: Religion News Service · Read the full story →

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Даниела Христова

How severe does that sound with the threat of separation from their children when they have valid religious visas. I wonder why they were detained at all when they came legally and are working in the church in Edinburgh. I hope they release them soon.

Ирина Соловьёва

It’s a pity that even with valid R-1 visas, they are kept at the center in McAllen and are afraid of being separated from their children. In our church we also have families with such visas, all documents are always checked several times. I hope Assemblies of God will help you figure it out faster.

Илья Морозов

I agree, Irina, with R-1 visas such a detention looks strange. In our Sunday school we also had families with religious visas, and the documents were always checked carefully, but the matter never came to the camera in McAllen. I wonder what exactly Assemblies of God are doing on their case now?

Тамара Семёнова

Yes, Irina, with valid R-1 visas this really looks strange, especially when families in our community also underwent such checks several times without any arrests. In Munich, one deacon with a similar visa told me how they had to collect the papers again because of some minor error in translation. I wonder if Zozaya has any additional details about their case that were not told at the press conference?

George Smith

It's odd they'd pressure a couple with valid R-1 visas like that, especially when they're already serving as assistant pastors at Comunidad Cristiana Emanuel in Edinburg. Our own parish had a deacon go through the R-1 process a couple years back and the paperwork checks were strict but never led to detention in McAllen. Wonder what specific thing triggered the Border Patrol this time.

Анна Зайцева

Yes, Irina, with valid R-1 visas, such a detention in McAllen looks strange, especially when documents are checked several times, like in your church. In Novosibirsk, one family of a cook from the community also went to the States with a religious visa, so they discussed everything down to the smallest detail with a lawyer in advance. Have Assemblies of God already involved their lawyers or just held a press conference?

Антон Орлов

Yes, Anna, with valid R-1 visas it really looks strange - especially if they have already been checked several times, as you write. Assemblies of God said at a press conference that lawyers are already working on the case, but have not yet given details. And that family from Novosibirsk, did they return later without any problems or did they stay?

Олег Васильев

Yes, Anton, with valid R-1 visas this is really strange, especially after several checks. I don’t know the details about the family from Novosibirsk, but I wonder how it all ended for them. Have the Assemblies of God lawyers already said anything specific about the timing?

Полина Павлова

Yes, Oleg, with valid R-1 visas this looks especially strange, especially if they have passed several checks. I haven’t heard anything new about the Novosibirsk family yet, but lawyers for Assemblies of God said at a press conference that they have already submitted documents for an extension and hope for a decision in the coming weeks. Are you following this case through someone you know?