Hispanic Pentecostal Leaders Urge Extension of TPS for Salvadoran Immigrants

Hispanic Pentecostal leaders from across the United States and Latin America have called for the extension of the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) program for Salvadoran immigrants. Fifty bishops and denominational leaders representing over 21,000 congregations gathered in Washington to urge the Trump administration to maintain the program, which is set to expire. Their legal status under TPS would be at risk, affecting approximately 170,000 individuals.

Bishop Benjamin Feliz, general presbyter for the Church of God of Prophecy in Central America, emphasized the church’s responsibility to advocate for the immigrant community. “The church needs to be where it hurts,” he said, adding that immigrants, like all people, bear the image of God and deserve dignity and respect. His comments reflect a broader call for the church to engage with social issues rooted in biblical principles of justice and care for the marginalized.

The meeting was organized by the Confraternity of Pentecostal Entities of the Americas (CEPA), a coalition formed in January to unite various Pentecostal denominations. Feliz serves as the group’s vice president. CEPA’s spokesperson, Agustín Quiles, noted that the leaders were motivated by the daily suffering they witness among immigrants. He reported that 19 pastors and nearly 200 church members have been detained or deported, underscoring the personal stakes for the community.

Quiles described the gathering as a spiritual event, not a political one. “This is for us a spiritual event,” he said, emphasizing the group’s desire to work with the government and the president to find solutions. The meeting, which was assembled in under two weeks, represents a significant step toward unity among 12 Pentecostal denominations.

Rigoberto Magaña, superintendent of the Central District of the Assemblies of God and a CEPA board member, called the Washington meeting a historic moment for denominational cooperation. “We’ve been fragmented for too long,” he said. “We haven’t been cooperating together, and I think together we could do a lot more for the kingdom of God.” Magaña, who arrived in the U.S. in the 1970s under a temporary immigration status, spoke from personal experience about the fear immigrants and their families face.

Magaña highlighted the emotional and practical challenges faced by those in the U.S. on temporary visas, noting the uncertainty that comes with such status. He and other leaders stressed the importance of addressing these issues through collective action, reflecting a shared commitment to the well-being of their congregations and the broader community. Their efforts align with a growing recognition among Pentecostal leaders that social justice and spiritual responsibility are intertwined.

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