Pastor Detained by ICE Agents While Traveling to Help Pregnant Niece

Immigration agents detained a pastor in Florida while he was driving to his pregnant niece, who was experiencing serious health complications, his family told Newsweek.

Francisco Javier Grisales-Jaramillo, who holds dual Colombian and Spanish citizenship and has preached at the United Pentecostal Church in Getafe, Spain, was stopped by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in Hallandale Beach about 12 p.m. on July 12, the family said.

The family said he has no criminal record and is in the country legally under a tourist visa while awaiting the outcome of an asylum application; however the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) told Newsweek he overstayed his visa by three months.

“The arrest was sudden and impersonal. No violence, but no compassion. He wasn’t allowed to call or inform his family. He was handcuffed and taken without a clear explanation,” a member of the family who requested anonymity due to fear of reprisals, told Newsweek.

DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin told Newsweek: “Francisco Javier Grisales-Jaramillo was pulled over for making an illegal U-Turn and found to be in the country illegally and was subsequently arrested. He entered the U.S. on January 5, 2025, on B-2 tourist visa that required him to depart the U.S. by April 4, 2025,”

Grisales-Jaramillo was granted a one-year driver’s license with Real ID, the family said.

“We are terrified, trying to protect our family and stay strong for our children. Our children are heartbroken. It’s been incredibly difficult,” the family member said.

Grisales is currently being held at the Broward Transitional Center after initially being detained at Dania Beach, according to the ICE detainee locator.

The family member says he is suffering emotionally and physically while in custody.

“He reports poor conditions—expired food, limited and expensive phone access, poor medical care, and cold temperatures. He is experiencing emotional distress and is treated as if he were a criminal, despite having no criminal record,” they said.

“Any claim that there is a lack of food or subprime conditions at ICE detention centers are false,” McLaughlin said.

“All detainees are provided with proper meals, medical treatment, and have opportunities to communicate with lawyers and their family members. It is a longstanding practice to provide comprehensive medical care from the moment an alien enters ICE custody.

“This includes medical, dental, and mental health intake screening within 12 hours of arriving at each detention facility, a full health assessment within 14 days of entering ICE custody or arrival at a facility, and access to medical appointments and 24-hour emergency care. This is the best healthcare than many aliens have received in their entire lives. Meals are certified by dieticians. Ensuring the safety, security, and well-being of individuals in our custody is a top priority.

Grisales-Jaramillo’s relative told Newsweek that the arrest has ripped the family apart.

“We are emotionally drained and devastated,” the family member said.

“Francisco’s family in Spain and Colombia is shocked and fearful. Everyone is worried and feeling helpless,” they added.

Grisales-Jaramillo fled to the U.S. after facing threats from gangs in both Spain and Colombia, the relative said. While living in Spain, his apartment building fell into disrepair after the owner went bankrupt, they added. Criminal groups began occupying the structure, and Grisales, along with other residents, tried to protect the building, the relative said. In return, they were threatened with violence, the relative said.

His wife was pregnant at the time, and criminals threatened to burn their apartment down, according to the relative. The police could do little, the relative said, so the family eventually returned to Colombia. But even there, they were tracked, the relative said.

The family received photos showing them getting out of their car, with threatening messages saying they were being watched, the relative said. They fled to the U.S. and applied for asylum legally, according to the relative.

Grisales-Jaramillo’s immigration hearing is scheduled for August 4, 2025.

Written by Billal Rahman