Memphis faith leaders seek federal action after ICE detentions place Afghan refugees at risk
Faith coalition mobilizes after Memphis-area detentions
A coalition of Memphis-area churches has organized public services and a letter-writing campaign urging federal officials to halt the detention and potential deportation of Afghan refugees who, local faith leaders say, were lawfully resettled in the United States and have no criminal records.
The mobilization intensified after Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents detained an Afghan family in Memphis in December 2025. Local advocates said the father was taken into custody while walking his children to school, and the family was subsequently transferred to a family detention facility in Dilley, Texas.
Detention case draws attention to legal status and enforcement priorities
Church leaders involved in the response have described the arrests as part of a broader enforcement pattern they believe is sweeping in nonviolent immigrants, including Afghans who have been living in Memphis for years. They have emphasized that many Afghan arrivals entered the country through formal pathways following the Taliban takeover and later sought longer-term protection through asylum or other legal mechanisms.
Advocates in Memphis have also pointed to changes in Temporary Protected Status (TPS) policy affecting Afghans. Federal authorities announced in May 2025 that TPS for Afghanistan would terminate effective July 14, 2025, ending the program’s protections for eligible Afghan nationals unless they had another valid immigration status.
Public service at Second Baptist highlights family separation concerns
In late December, Second Baptist Church hosted an interfaith service featuring music, Scripture readings, and personal testimony from refugees and their supporters. Organizers said the gathering aimed to provide pastoral care for families facing detention and to rally community members around specific requests to government leaders.
“For me this is not a political issue, this is a human rights issue.”
Participants at the service were invited to sign a letter addressed to elected officials in Memphis and Washington calling for urgent intervention. Organizers said the letter urged officials to consider the risks faced by Afghan refugees if returned to Afghanistan, including the possibility of persecution.
What is known about the Texas facility holding families
The family detention site in Dilley, commonly known as the South Texas Family Residential Center, has been used in prior administrations to hold parents and children together while immigration cases proceed. The facility has drawn recurring scrutiny from advocates and legal monitors over conditions and the impact of detention on children. Federal authorities have also renewed contracts to again use the site for family detention.
Key facts and timeline
May 12, 2025: Federal authorities announced the termination of TPS for Afghanistan, with the program ending on July 14, 2025.
December 2025: An Afghan family living in Memphis was detained by ICE and transferred to Dilley, Texas.
Late December 2025: Memphis-area churches organized a public service and petition drive seeking government action.
Organizers said they plan to continue community support for affected families while pursuing meetings with elected officials and immigration authorities.