Houston-area Pastor Detained by ICE at Bush Airport While Traveling with Wife: Family Seeks Answers on Asylum Case Status.

Luis Morales, a Houston-area pastor, was detained by ICE agents at George Bush Intercontinental Airport while preparing to travel to New York with his wife, Karina. Morales, who leads four Adventist churches in the Houston area, and his family, who have called Houston home since 2023, originally came to the United States from Venezuela in 2020 on tourist visas. They later applied for asylum.

Morales, who has spent 19 years in ministry, is described by his wife as loving and attentive to his family. The family’s situation has left them feeling a profound sense of loss, as Karina Morales expressed the indescribable emptiness they feel at home in his absence.

At the airport, two ICE agents approached Morales, who was already identified by paperwork they had in hand. According to ICE, Morales legally entered the U.S. in January 2020 but was required to leave by July of that year. Although he later received Temporary Protected Status (TPS), this protection was revoked in November 2025. Karina Morales, however, stated that their asylum case remains pending and they were awaiting its resolution, noting that they had not received any deportation orders.

As of now, Morales remains in ICE custody, and his family is awaiting further information on the next steps. This situation highlights the complexities and challenges faced by families navigating immigration processes, underscoring the importance of accountability and justice in such matters. As Proverbs 31:8-9 reminds us, “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute.”

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