The Greater Los Angeles Area office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-LA) today strongly condemned recent federal immigration raids reportedly targeting Iranian Christians in the greater Los Angeles area, including a couple seeking asylum.
SEE: Local pastor says Iranian asylum seekers detained by federal agents in Los Angeles
ICE Goes After Church Leaders and Christians Fleeing Persecution
Ara Torosian, a pastor at Cornerstone West Los Angeles, reported that a couple from his congregation called him for help after masked U.S. Border Patrol agents approached them at their home. A cellphone video recorded by Torosian shows officers detaining the couple, with the woman collapsing onto the grass. The officers also can be heard threatening to arrest Torosian if he attempts to interfere.
Torosian said he requested that the officers show him a signed judicial warrant authorizing the detention, but they refused.
A total of five members of the Iranian church, including a family and their child, have reportedly been detained by federal agents over the past week.
In a statement, CAIR-LA Legal Director Amr Shabaik said:
“It is no coincidence that this disturbing incident comes on the heels of U.S. military strikes on Iran and the Trump administration’s renewed travel ban targeting Iranian nationals. We are witnessing the weaponization of immigration enforcement as part of the Trump administration’s broader agenda nationwide to dehumanize and disappear entire communities. It is also concerning that the Trump administration is targeting religious communities. Many of these community members have fled violence and persecution in their home countries, only to encounter the same trauma at the hands of U.S. federal agents.
“We express our unwavering solidarity with the Iranian Christian community and all immigrant communities facing aggressive, discriminatory actions under the Trump administration. Now more than ever, we must fight back against repressive immigration policies and stand for freedom, justice, and dignity.”
CAIR California previously condemned the Trump administration’s militarized crackdown on immigrant communities and peaceful protesters across California, including the deployment of National Guard units and U.S. Marines to communities in Los Angeles, Orange County, and the Inland Empire, in response to mass demonstrations against recent U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids and detentions.
CAIR-LA is currently working alongside partner organizations to provide legal support, Know Your Rights resources, and community defense efforts across impacted regions. It also urges community members to remain vigilant, document abuses, and connect with trusted local organizations for assistance.
If you or someone you know has been impacted by recent ICE activity or law enforcement actions, please contact CAIR-LA’s Immigration Department.
CAIR-LA is Southern California’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice and empower American Muslims.
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CONTACT: CAIR-LA Communications Manager Enjy El-Kadi, (714) 851-4851 or eelkadi@cair.com; CAIR-LA Senior Communications Coordinator Madi Hameed, mmorse-hameed@cair.com