MIAMI – Hector has just completed his iyawo year, the year-long initiation period that marks his ordination as a priest in Ocha/Lucumí, the Yoruba diaspora religion in Cuba, commonly called Santería. He spoke with me under anonymity—Hector is not his real name. We also declined to use his Yoruba name, as it could potentially identify him.
Hector is also undocumented. He left Guatemala 13 years ago, brought to the U.S. at age 15 by his father, who later passed away during the COVID-19 pandemic.
As part of his ordination, Hector received various sacred tools and manifestations of the Orisha, which he must care for as part of his priestly duties. These objects serve as a direct connection to his lineage and the divine. Their creation often requires days of meticulous preparation, the involvement of senior clergy, and significant community participation.
They are not replaceable—they are meant to be kept for a lifetime.
Elekes are given at the first Initiation in Lukumi. [photo credit: MJTM
“If ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) comes, I don’t know what I will do,” Hector says. His godfather assures him that the community will safeguard his religious items and reunite him with them if necessary. “I know he says that to comfort me, but there is no guarantee.”
It remains unclear how ICE would handle sacred items. Among some Pagan and polytheist undocumented immigrants, there is a growing concern about whether they will have time to gather their religious belongings if they are detained or deported.
Hector works in a restaurant in Florida, where fear of immigration enforcement looms over many—even U.S. citizens. “There’s talk,” he says, “about how far the new administration will go. They say one thing, then we hear another.”
Nadia, another undocumented immigrant, shares similar concerns. A Wiccan who works in a bar, she overstayed her initial visa and is now undocumented. Originally from Eastern Europe, she asked us not to disclose her country of birth. “There aren’t that many of us here, and you never know,” she laughs. It is a cautious approach and a wise one in uncertain times.
“I don’t have expensive things. I bought my athame and chalice at a thrift store. But they are still consecrated and sacred.”
Both Hector and Nadia expect to be deported. “It feels like you’re going to be hit by a bus, but you don’t know when or which bus,” Hector says.
DHS Policy Reversal Heightens Fears
Last week, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a memo reversing the Biden administration’s policy that prohibited ICE agents from operating in or near places of worship, schools, hospitals, and other “sensitive locations.”
A DHS spokesperson defended the change, stating, “Criminals will no longer be able to hide in America’s schools and churches to avoid arrest.”
Faith communities across the U.S. play a vital role in supporting migrants by providing shelter, food, clothing, and essential aid. Many offer designated spaces for rest and recovery while also operating food banks and distributing necessities for newly arrived migrants and those in transit.
Faithful America, a Christian religious advocacy organization publicly resisting Christian nationalism, strongly opposes the policy shift, calling it “a clear infringement on our religious freedom.” A coalition of faith leaders has filed a federal lawsuit against the Trump administration, challenging ICE’s expanded authority to conduct arrests in places of worship.
Last Tuesday, February 11, 2025, twenty-eight Christian and Jewish organizations—including the Episcopal Church, the Union for Reform Judaism, the Mennonites, and Unitarian Universalists—joined the lawsuit. They argue that the policy fosters fear of immigration raids, discourages participation in worship services and church programs, and infringes on religious freedom by restricting faith groups’ ability to provide spiritual and material support to migrants, including those without legal status.
The lawsuit follows Pope Francis’ recent condemnation of U.S. deportation policies. On Tuesday, he warned that expelling migrants solely due to their undocumented status “strips them of their dignity and will end badly.”
However, while the lawsuit presumably applies to all religious traditions, it does not specifically address the experiences of Pagans, Wiccans, Heathens, and polytheists—many of whom do not practice in formal buildings like churches or synagogues. It is also unclear how clergy and practitioners of minority faiths—like Hector or Nadia—would be treated if detained or deported.
ICE Policy and the Fate of Sacred Items
ICE’s Detention Standards Handbook includes a section on religious practices and property. It describes accommodations for detainees in certain detention facilities, specifically:
- Service Processing Centers (SPCs)
- Contract Detention Facilities (CDFs)
- State or local government facilities used by ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) for more than 72 hours (IGSAs)
Yet, reports from ICE arrests indicate that undocumented individuals are often detained quickly, with little time to secure their belongings. ICE maintains that its enforcement focuses only on criminals, though immigration advocates argue otherwise.
It is unclear how those arrested can obtain their belonging.
Deportees on ICE flights are not permitted to bring carry-on luggage but may bring one checked bag weighing up to 40 pounds. Many passengers are restrained with handcuffs, leg irons, and a belly chain.
Hector does not trust that ICE will respect his sacred items. “I’ve heard about ICE activity in the community, but I don’t know anyone who has been deported—at least not yet.” He now avoids traveling outside his immediate community. “My Orisha are my life. I will hide and ask them to protect me.” His religious community is supporting him.
Nadia’s experience is different. “I’ve seen law enforcement arrest people while I was working. The rumor was they were undocumented, but I don’t know.” She adds, “I am certain racism drives who they look for. I pass. I don’t look like someone they think shouldn’t be here.”
Still, she has taken precautions. “I stopped driving. I also told the friends I trust where my magical tools are. They will send them to me if anything happens.”
Neither Hector nor Nadia has a criminal record, in the U.S. or their native countries. But both expect the worst.
What they don’t know is when they will be deported—or what will happen to their sacred religious tools when they are.
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