Maryland Pastor With No Criminal Record Detained by ICE Amid Community Protests

Daniel Fuentes Espinal, a 54-year-old pastor from Easton, Maryland, was arrested by ICE for overstaying a six-month visa that expired 25 years ago, despite having no criminal record. Espinal, who fled violence in Honduras in 2001 and has lived in the U.S. since then, serves as an unpaid pastor and works construction to support his family. His arrest on the way to work shocked the community, prompting protests and calls for his release from local activists, lawmakers, and organizations. Espinal was transferred to the Winn Correctional Center in Louisiana, where he remains in good spirits and continues to minister to fellow detainees. Maryland representatives and community leaders have criticized the Trump administration's immigration crackdown and highlighted Espinal's case as an example of the harsh treatment of long-term residents with expired visas. His family has been trying for years to obtain a green card, and his daughter recently learned she would become a U.S. citizen after a 16-year wait.