Michigan pastor helping those targeted by ICE says many are in U.S. legally

Troy pastor supporting those targeted by ICE

A Troy pastor has spent much of the past several weeks supporting families caught in the recent surge of immigration enforcement that has spread throughout the country.

(FOX 2) - A Troy pastor has spent much of the past several weeks supporting families caught in the recent surge of immigration enforcement that has spread throughout the country.

The last three months for Pastor Gerardo Aponte-Safe have seen the church leader transform his ministry at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church into a refuge for several individuals or families whose loved ones have been detained by federal immigration authorities.

According to Aponte-Safe, many of them were taken into custody, despite having some form of recognized legal status in the state.

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"We've moved beyond enforcement of our laws, right? We are in a place where people are taken indiscriminately. The supreme court has allowed for this to happen," said Aponte-Safe. "I'm going to be honest. I'm Puerto Rican. My people have been taken. There are reports of people of Puerto Rican ancestry, people who are U.S. citizens by birth.

"I worry for myself too," he added.

Aponte-Safe says of those he has aided, many were taken into custody despite having legal status in the country. That includes an asylum application or work authorization.

"For us who love democracy — for us who love the rule of law, that does not sound right," he said. "That's not something we support."

The pastor told FOX 2 that some of those he's helped have since been deported, while others remain in detention or face removal proceedings.

The experience for families left behind has been one of trauma, he added, especially for children who witnessed the arrests.