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Venezuelan pastor detained by ICE at Houston airport while traveling with wife

Aug 7, 2026 · Houston, TX, Venezuela

Venezuelan pastor detained by ICE at Houston airport while traveling with wife

Pastor Luis Morales Pérez, a Venezuelan Seventh-day Adventist pastor who oversees four congregations in the Houston area and is a father of two daughters, was detained by ICE agents at George Bush Intercontinental Airport while traveling with his wife, Karina, for a vacation to New York. According to Karina, agents approached the couple shortly after they entered the airport, called Morales by name, and took him into custody. Morales held valid employment authorization to serve with the Texas Conference of Seventh-day Adventists and had a pending asylum claim. His Temporary Protected Status, granted in December 2023, was revoked after DHS ended TPS for Venezuelan nationals, a move the Supreme Court allowed to take effect; ICE said he remained in the country after the revocation took effect on November 20, 2025. He is being held at Livingston Detention Center. Church leaders described his "commitment to our mission and the families he serves" as "unwavering" and asked congregants to pray for his family.

Timeline

Aug 7, 2026Reports confirm detention and transfer to Livingston Detention Center
Aug 6, 2026Detained by ICE at George Bush Intercontinental Airport while traveling with wife
Nov 20, 2025TPS for Venezuelan nationals revoked, per ICE
Dec 1, 2023Morales granted Temporary Protected Status

Sources

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