Jesus Teran, a Venezuelan immigrant and civil engineer working as a carpenter in Imperial, Pennsylvania, was reportedly detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on July 8 after a routine check-in at the agency’s Pittsburgh field office.
The Context
Teran, 35, reportedly has no criminal record and was briefly sent to Northern Regional Jail in Moundsville, West Virginia, before being moved to Moshannon Valley Processing Center, according to local newspaper Observer-Reporter. The facility is operated by a private contractor, the GEO Group, in Phillipsburg, Pennsylvania, three hours away from his home.
Teran’s case highlights scrutiny of U.S. immigration enforcement practices, especially regarding individuals integrated into their communities without criminal records. Teran arrived in the United States in 2021, fleeing turmoil in Venezuela and seeking asylum to reunite with his family. He was initially denied entry in 2015, but successfully entered the U.S. six years later.
The ICE database did not include any record of Teran as of Wednesday afternoon. Newsweek reached out to ICE via email for comment.
What To Know
Teran’s arrest has galvanized a local Catholic church community and supporters, who have organized to aid his family and seek his release.
The local response, led by St. Oscar Romero Parish and supported by nonprofit entities, highlights increasing concern over family separation and community impacts resulting from immigration policies. Terano and his family regularly attend Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal Church in Meadow Lands for services.
“It’s been a heartbreaking experience,” Reverend Jay Donahue, senior parochial vicar at St. Oscar Romero Parish, told the Observer-Reporter. “He’s been faithfully appearing at ICE appointments for more than four years, he was following the protocols of ICE, he was complying with everything he’s supposed to do. All of a sudden, he’s detained.”
Newsweek reached out to St. Oscar Romero Parish via phone and email for comment.
Teran, his wife, and two daughters were reportedly familiar faces in both the church and the broader community, including work at a community garden. Teran reportedly helped till the ground in the garden and also repaired a faulty tiller. His family planted and watered flowers and crops while one of his daughters would bring homemade watermelon juice for refreshment.
“He was building a life for himself and his family,” Chris McAneny, director of housing for the nonprofit Wellness Collective, which led the garden installation, told the Observer-Reporter. “He’s been contributing to his community, and he’s well-respected within this community. He wanted to be a part of the community garden, and he was a big part of it.”
“And when we put in the plants, he was here two days a week watering them,” McAneny added.
Newsweek reached out to Wellness Collective for comment.
Without U.S. credentials, Teran worked various jobs, including at convenience stores and doing deliveries as a DoorDash driver, before being accepted into a carpentry apprenticeship in winter 2024, Teran’s former teacher, Barbara Hopkins, told The Bulwark.
Over 20 letters of support, including from prominent religious and labor leaders, have been sent to authorities on Teran’s behalf. A GoFundMe campaign and donations through the church support have been set up to aid the family.
What People Are Saying
Former Pennsylvania Representative Conor Lamb, a Democrat, on X: “Maybe this breaks through to Christians. In my old district union carpenter—literally named Jesus—behind bars. Good record, kids, church, job. Came from Venezuela 2021, the year TPS granted for them. This is insane.”
What Happens Next
An attorney has filed a court order for Teran’s release from detention. Supporters remain hopeful but express urgency, as family and friends have not had in-person visitation, relying on costly daily phone calls for communication.
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