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Damaris G.L.: Maryland mother with work permit held in crowded Louisiana ICE detention center

Damaris Gomez-Laurens, a Maryland electrician and mother of two, has been held since August at a Louisiana detention center after a routine check-in. She leads Bible studies there and is known among detainees as 'Pastor.'

Apr 16, 2026Elizabeth, NJ

Damaris G.L.: Maryland mother with work permit held in crowded Louisiana ICE detention center
Photo via New Jersey Monitor

Damaris Gomez-Laurens, a Maryland woman who lived in Prince George's County for more than 20 years, was detained by ICE during her annual immigration check-in in Baltimore and has been held since August at Richwood Correctional Center in Monroe, Louisiana. She had a work permit and ran an electrical business with her husband, had no criminal record, and had been trying to become a citizen since 2014, according to her niece. In a video call, Gomez-Laurens described unsanitary bathrooms, inadequate food, overcrowded rooms holding up to 108 people, and restricted visitation, while her husband, Kevin Pinto, said their two young sons have struggled with her absence. Family members said she has become known among fellow detainees as 'Pastor' for leading Bible studies and using money sent by relatives to buy food for other women during the holidays.

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