Rev. James Eliud Ngahu Mwangi, a Kenyan priest and assistant rector in the Episcopal Diocese of Texas, was arrested by ICE on October 24-25, 2025, while returning home from his job as a correctional officer with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice in Huntsville, Texas. Despite holding a valid work permit verified through E-Verify and lawful employment status, ICE detained him at a facility in Conroe, alleging he had overstayed his B1 visa. The Episcopal Diocese of Texas disputed ICE's claims and coordinated legal counsel to document his employment and immigration records. After months in detention, described as punitive and emotionally draining, and facing denial of bond despite his pending asylum application, Rev. Mwangi chose to voluntarily depart to Kenya in early January 2026. His attorney indicated the voluntary departure was a strategic decision to preserve his future eligibility to legally re-enter the United States.