'We fled because of our faith': LA pastor says ICE detained Iranian Christians who fled persecution
LA pastor says ICE detained Iranian Christians
A West LA pastor captured emotional video as immigration agents detained Iranian asylum seekers he says fled religious persecution in Iran.
LOS ANGELES - A scene of distress unfolded in Los Angeles earlier this week as Iranian refugees, who reportedly had sought asylum in the United States after fleeing persecution in Iran, were detained by immigration officials. The arrests have drawn sharp criticism from Pastor Ara Torosian at Cornerstone Church in West LA, who witnessed the events unfold.
"I watched in pain today as women—who fled Iran's dictatorship for freedom—were arrested outside their own home here in Los Angeles," stated Pastor Torosian. "They came seeking refuge, not another nightmare. This is not the justice they hoped for."
‘They are from Iran. We fled because of our faith’
What we know:
The incident, captured on video, shows the emotional exchange between the pastor and officers. At one point, Pastor Torosian asks, "Why are you taking him? I'm his pastor." An officer responds, "He has a warrant sir." To which the pastor replies, "For what?" "He's being arrested for immigration," the officer stated.
Pastor records detainment of Iranian asylum seekers in LA
A scene of distress unfolded outside a home in Los Angeles earlier this week as Iranian refugees, who reportedly had sought asylum in the United States after fleeing persecution in Iran, were arrested by immigration officials.
The pastor interjects, "He's an asylum seeker."
"It doesn't matter sir, we are just following orders," the officer said. "He's got a warrant."
The pastor continues to press for answers, stating, "He came with CBP One, why are you doing this?" The officer responds, "It's no longer valid anymore, that's why we're here."
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During the video, it appears one of the women suffers a medical emergency. Torosian’s cellphone video shows federal agents restraining the woman as she screams and collapses, prompting the pastor to plead with officers to let her go. "Let her go! She’s sick! Call 911!" "
Later in the confrontation, Pastor Torosian is heard saying, "Why are you doing this? They came from persecution. From dictatorship. I'm from Iran. I'm Iran. You're so cruel. So cruel." He adds, "Have you read the news? Have you seen the news? I was in prison for my faith. They are there in Iran. They are from Iran. We fled because of our faith." The pastor then asks, "Can you take me with them? They need me."
An officer replies, "You can stay there and you can record, but you can't go with us, okay?"
Pastor Torosian repeatedly calls out the name "Marjan" during the arrests, offering words of comfort: "Marjan, Marjan. Marjan! It's going to be okay. It's gonna be okay, Marjancan." Then speaking to the immigration officers, he said, "I know you're doing your job, I know your doing your job but my heart is just... Seriously you all guys came for one person?"
An officer asks, "What is her name?" to which the pastor responds, "Marjan. Seriously, only two people is enough what… this like, what's this? There's an army here!"
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Pastor Torosian concludes with a strong condemnation: "It's an army, like two people. Have you read the news what's happened in Iran for women? They came here for freedom, not like this. Shame on you. I know you're doing your job, but shame on you. Shame on this government."
Department of Homeland Security Statement
What they're saying:
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a statement in response to a Los Angeles Times article, which reported on ICE agents entering UCLA Medical Center to seek emergency care for a detainee. The DHS statement provides their account of the Los Angeles incident:
"FACT CHECK. During a targeted enforcement operation in Los Angeles, Border Patrol agents apprehended two Iranian nationals unlawfully present in the U.S.—both flagged as subjects of national security interest. When one experienced a medical emergency, agents immediately contacted EMS and escorted her to the hospital. Agent presence at the hospital was solely to guard the subject receiving medical care—a standard procedure when an individual in the country illegally requires medical attention. The female has since been discharged, and both individuals are now in ERO custody."
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What we don't know:
Beyond the DHS statement, the specific nature of the "national security interest" flagging for the individuals has not been detailed.
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The identities of the arrested individuals and the specific charges they face, beyond being "unlawfully present," have not yet been released.
US-Iran latest
Big picture view:
On Sunday, June 22, the U.S. carried out strikes on three Iranian nuclear sites using bunker-buster bombs and cruise missiles, saying that U.S. President Donald Trump - who said the attack "completely and fully obliterated" Iran’s nuclear program — had exaggerated its impact.
After Sunday's attack on Iran's nuclear facilities, Trump was able to help negotiate a ceasefire that came into effect Tuesday.
The following day, Iran launched a missile attack on a U.S. military base in Qatar, retaliating for the American bombing of its nuclear sites.
In his first public comments since a ceasefire agreement with Israel was reached, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Thursday said his country had delivered a "slap to America's face" by striking the U.S. air base in Qatar, and warned against further attacks.
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Trump has dismissed the retaliatory attack as a "very weak response," saying that the U.S. had been warned by Iran in advance and emphasizing that there had been no casualties.
On Thursday, Iran partially reopened its airspace, which had been closed since the war began, and shops in Tehran’s capital began to reopen, with traffic returning to the streets.
Trump has also asserted that American and Iranian officials will talk next week, giving rise to cautious hope for longer-term peace. Iran has not acknowledged that any such talks would take place.
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Persecution in Iran for Christians, women
Dig deeper:
Despite their formal protection in the Constitution, Christians still face significant levels of persecution in Iran. In some incidents, churches have been raided and Christians who have converted from Islam are imprisoned. Conversions from Islam can even be punishable by death. Evangelical Christians in particular are targeted and often accused of being a threat to national security, under the influence of foreign powers.
The figure for the total number of Christians in Iran (of all denominations) has been estimated at close to 300,000. The Armenians, Assyrians, and Chaldeans represent the more traditional religious groupings in Iran and they constitute over 90 percent of Iran’s Christian population.
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According to a March 2024 report by the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), Iran's regime executed over 900 people in 2024 and handed down "scores of death sentences for religious-based charges." The USCIRF has consistently recommended that Iran be designated a "Country of Particular Concern" due to its "systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom." In 2023, out of over 2,200 religious prisoners documented by USCIRF, Iran accounted for 347 (15%).
Today in Iran, a woman's access to employment, education, social benefits, and proper health care depends on complying with post-1979 compulsory hijab laws, which are routinely enforced through rules and arbitrary interpretation by state agents and in some cases even businesses, according to the Human Rights Watch.
Iran's penal code criminalizes the appearance of women in public space without "sharia hijab." The offense is punishable by a fine, or imprisonment between 10 days to two months, according to the organization.
Iran has a decades-long history of movements promoting women's rights, both before and after the revolution of 1979. Most have pursued a goal of equality under law and focused on issues such as age discrimination in establishing criminal responsibility and marriageable age.
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The expansion of internet access in Iran has been fundamental to the next shift in activism. According to the organization, since 2020, dozens of Iranian women from various backgrounds have taken to social media to share their stories of sexual harassment and assault by powerful men in various industries.
In September 2024, top UN experts said the Islamic Republic’s "Law to Support the Family by Promoting the Culture of Chastity and Hijab," which places punishments on women and girls for hijab noncompliance "could be described as a form of gender apartheid, as authorities appear to be governing through systemic discrimination with the intention of suppressing women and girls into total submission."
The Source: Information for this report was gathered from direct witness accounts, including video footage provided by Pastor Ara Torosian, and a public statement issued by the Department of Homeland Security in response to inquiries about the incident. Additional context on the ongoing war involving Iran comes from the Associated Press and FOX 11's reporting.