​PRESS RELEASE
 
By Friends of Pastor Max  http://www.friendsofpastormax.org
 
Contact: Shana Peachey Boshart  319-936-5905  shanaboshart@gmail.com
 
Photo caption: On the one-year anniversary of his deportation, supporters of Pastor Max Villatoro visited officials in Washington D.C. Left to right: Tammy Alexander of Mennonite Central Committee, Attorney David Leopold, Gloria Villatoro, Shana Peachey Boshart and David Boshart of Central Plains Mennonite Conference, and Dave Sickles of Friends of Pastor Max.
 
One year after his deportation, Friends of Pastor Max press officials in Washington, DC for his return
 
Friends of Pastor Max and Gloria Villatoro say they are hopeful following meetings in Washington, D.C., March 20 and 21, the one-year anniversary of the deportation of Pastor Max Villatoro. 
 
When he was deported on March 20 of last year, Max Villatoro was co-pastor with his wife Gloria at Iglesia Torre Fuerte, a Central Plains Mennonite Conference congregation in Iowa City. Villatoro was licensed for ministry by this conference in 2012, and conference leaders had been working to gain legal status for Max. Two members of the delegation to Washington D.C., David Boshart and Shana Peachey Boshart, are Central Plains conference ministers.
 
With the help of Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) Washington Office and Church World Service, the delegation held a prayer service in front of the White House on Sunday afternoon and on Monday held briefings for the House and Senate, visited congressional offices, and had an informal, off-the-record exchange of views with Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials.
 
“Having met face-to-face with immigration policy officials in Washington, I became newly aware of the urgency of our situation,” reported David Boshart, executive conference minister for Central Plains Mennonite Conference. “The contacts we’ve made in the federal government could all change when the Obama administration ends, and we may then find ourselves starting over building bridges to the people who can bring Max home.”
 
“This trip reinforced for us that the key to helping the Villatoros is keeping Max’s story in the public eye,” commented Shana Boshart, also a conference minister for Central Plains Mennonite Conference. “There are folks in the government, the press and the public who see Max’s case as an important example of what is broken and needs to be fixed in the immigration system.”
 
Villatoro’s lawyer, David Leopold, repeated many times throughout the day, “I’ve never had a case where there’s been such continued community involvement. In this case, the public hasn’t gone away and is continuing the fight to get him back here and right the wrong.”
 
“At the briefings, our panel members gave a concise presentation of Max’s story and what we need from our legislators,” said Shana Peachey Boshart of Friends of Pastor Max.  “David Boshart gave the opening comments and introduced the panel.  Gloria Villatoro shared what it has been like for her family to have husband and father taken from them; David Leopold shared the legal framework for Max’s plight. Tammy Alexander of MCC Washington Office wrapped up the briefing with a plea to legislators to hold DHS and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) accountable to their own policies and to press for a review of Pastor Max’s case.”
 
One disappointment for the delegation was the absence of any legislative staffers at the
Senate briefing.  Fortunately, the delegation had scheduled visits with Senate staff. “Senator Grassley and Senator Ernst both sent staffers to meet with us. They apologized for missing our briefing, saying they hadn’t learned about it in time,” explained Peachey Boshart, “This was in spite of the fact that many supporters had sent them email invitations. In any case, they were very polite and seemed interested in what we had to say.”
 
The delegation briefed Grassley and Ernst staff on the November 20, 2014 DHS memo which requires ICE to make deportation arrests on a case-by-case basis according to specific enforcement priorities.
 
“We pointed out that Pastor Max is a clear example of a person who did not pose a security risk. We asked that our senators hold ICE and DHS accountable to this policy," stated Peachey Boshart.
 
Dave Sickles of Friends of Pastor Max gave them a copy of the private bill (H.R. 4261) put forth by Representative Dave Loebsack calling for Max’s return, and told the staffers it is his “wild hope” that our Iowa senators would sign on as co-sponsors.
 
“We are grateful to the staff at Mennonite Central Committee and Church World Service for their financial support and their network of contacts that made this trip possible,” said David Boshart. 
 

This is the prayer folder that we used at the prayer service on March 20.  It begins on the upper right, continues on to the next page, and ends with the text on the upper left.

Last weekend, Grant & Edie Nebel and Don and Shirley Kempf visited Max in northern Mexico.  They made this video of Max giving an update and thanking his supporters.  There are two versions, one short and one longer.

Action: Send this letter to invite your members of Congress to attend one of two briefings about Pastor Max Villatoro and broader immigration issues.
Background: Pastor Max Villatoro's wife, Gloria Villatoro, his lawyer, David Leopold, and Tammy Alexander from the MCC U.S. Washington Office will be speaking on House and Senate briefing panels on March 21, 2016, one day after the one-year anniversary of Pastor Max's deportation. They will discuss Pastor Max's case and broader issues of U.S. immigration policy separating families and deporting individuals who pose no threat to public safety. By inviting your members of Congress to attend the briefings (or to send a staff member), you will help them to become educated on these issues.
Faith reflection: "What does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?" (Micah 6:8)
Action: Send this letter to invite your members of Congress to attend one of two briefings about Pastor Max Villatoro and broader immigration issues.

Alert prepared by Tammy Alexander, Senior Legislative Associate for Domestic Affairs, March 14, 2016.

http://org2.salsalabs.com/o/5764/t/0/blastContent.jsp?email_blast_KEY=1357977

Bring Pastor Max home
​
Actions: 

• Sign this petition today to urge Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Jeh Johnson to bring Max Villatoro home to his family.
• Make a call this week to Secretary Johnson's office at (202) 282-8203 (talking points below).  

Background: Nearly one year ago, Iowa City pastor, beloved father, husband, and community leader Max Villatoro was deported to Honduras. Although we have mourned Pastor Max’s absence from his family, friends, and church, we have not given up our struggle to reunite the Villatoro family and bring Pastor Max home. We also continue to urge Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), a component of DHS, to follow their own guidelines and not deport immigrants, such as Pastor Max, who clearly pose no public safety concern and have close family and community ties in the United States.

Faith reflection: Please continue to pray that Max will be able to return to his family. Also pray for his wife, Gloria, and his children Anthony, Edna, Angela, and Aileen. Pray also for Max’s church community, his lawyer and others working to help him. Pray for government officials that their hearts will be opened.

Actions: 

• Sign this petition today to urge Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Jeh Johnson to bring Max Villatoro home to his family.
• Make a call this week to Secretary Johnson's office at (202) 282-8203 (talking points below).

Sample talking points:

• Pastor Max’s family, church, and community continue to feel the great loss after he was deported to Honduras nearly a year ago. His deportation was a grave injustice that should be remedied by your office.
• Please urge ICE to follow their own guidelines. Pastor Max, and many others like him, never should have been deported. Max’s 20 years in the U.S., his young children, his service as a pastor and strong ties to the community should have been weighed against a 15-year old DUI conviction.
• Your office says that ICE is only deporting those who pose a threat to public safety, but this is not the case. Pastor Max is clearly not a threat to anyone but was an asset to his community.
• I ask you to correct this mistake immediately by returning pastor Max to his family in Iowa City.
• This is not just about Pastor Max, it’s about all the families across the country who are being needlessly separated. And it’s about the common sense, humane immigration enforcement President Obama has promised.

Additional resources: Worst of the worst report | Friends of Pastor Max | MCC immigration resources

http://mcc.org/get-involved/advocacy/alert/bring-pastor-max-home-0​ 

January 5, 2016
 
Dear Mr. President,
 
We pray that you receive this letter with an open heart and a spirit of mercy and justice. We write with respect and gratitude for our governing institutions and for public servants such as yourself.
We also write today out of a deep and abiding love for our brother Pastor Max Villatoro and his family. We believe you are aware of the many phone calls, letters, and petition signatures to government officials concerning Pastor Villatoro. Just as the persistent widow cried to the unjust judge and to God for justice (Luke 18:1-8), we continue to call upon you to bring Pastor Villatoro home.
​
More than nine months ago, Pastor Villatoro was deported to Honduras, a country in which he had not set foot for more than 20 years. This has caused much suffering, not only for Pastor Villatoro but also for his wife and four children who are struggling to continue on without him in Iowa City, Iowa.
 
His deportation was in direct violation of ICE policies and should be rectified by your office. We ask that you to take immediate action to intervene on Pastor Villatoro’s behalf and bring him home to his family.
 
On March 3, 2015, Pastor Villatoro was picked up as part of the nationwide sweep, Operation Cross Check. He has two criminal convictions, one for records tampering in 1999 (related to his trying to obtain a state identification card) and another for DUI in 1998. At the time of his deportation, more than 15 years after these convictions, Villatoro was pastor of a church, a husband, a father of four U.S. citizen children, and a leader in his community, working to help anyone in need, especially those struggling with substance abuse and addiction. Mennonite Church leaders had been working diligently with Pastor Villatoro, attempting to regularize his status.
 
As we read the November 2014 priority enforcement guidelines, Pastor Villatoro would fall under the “Priority 2” enforcement category.[1] This category includes those with significant misdemeanor convictions (which includes a charge of driving under the influence) or convictions related to the individual’s immigration status. The memo states that such individuals,
“should be removed… unless, in the judgment of [ICE or DHS officials], there are factors indicating the alien is not a threat to national security, border security, or public safety, and should not therefore be an enforcement priority.” (emphasis added)
 
This language directs ICE to weigh the positive equities for each individual case. There are clearly factors in Pastor Villatoro’s case indicating that he is not a threat to national security, border security, or public safety. However, ICE officials appear to be either ignoring or incorrectly applying the November 2014 guidance.
Despite an unprecedented public effort to raise concerns at the highest levels about Pastor Villatoro’s deportation, which clearly fell outside the guidelines for removal, we have seen no action from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) or the White House to hold ICE officials accountable. This lack of accountability and oversight is not merely troubling, it has had devastating consequences for the Villatoro family and, we are concerned, for many like him.
 
We therefore request that you take action immediately to:

• Bring Pastor Villatoro home. We stand ready to work with DHS officials to find an appropriate remedy to bring Pastor Villatoro home to his family, his church, and his community.

Furthermore, we request that you direct DHS to take the following actions to address broader concerns regarding improper and inconsistent implementation of the November 2014 guidelines:

• Hold ICE accountable to follow the November 2014 guidelines, including to properly weigh an individual’s positive equities, including family members in the U.S. and positive community engagement, against potentially disqualifying factors when exercising prosecutorial discretion. This accountability should include oversight, training, monitoring and evaluation, and consequences for ICE offices and officials who do not comply.
• Rework performance metrics at ICE so that officers are not rewarded based on the number of removals they make. Officers should instead be rewarded for following guidelines, appropriately weighing equities, and making good decisions regarding when to use prosecutorial discretion.

We understand that, in any organization, mistakes can be made. However, mistakes must be corrected – particularly, those with such devastating consequences to families and communities. As the prophet Micah implored the people of Israel to practice justice, kindness, and humility, we urge you to do so now (“What does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” Micah 6:8).
We ask that you take action immediately to bring Pastor Villatoro home and ensure that others like him are treated fairly and justly.
 
Blessings,
 
 
Friends of Pastor Max
Edie Nebel, Chair


[1] Department of Homeland Security memorandum dated November 20, 2014, http://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/publications/14_1120_memo_prosecutorial_discretion.pdf

On August 6, 2015, Delta Flight 575 touched down at San Pedro Sula airport in Honduras around 11:40 AM.  Anthony, Edna, Angela and Aileen Villatoro and Tim Detweiler were sitting on the very last row of seats on the plane.  The long anticipated trip to spend time with their father, Max Villatoro had finally arrived for the Villatoro children.  This would be the first time the children would be able to give their dad a hug since the time when he was detained on March 3, 2015 and deported back to Honduras on March 20, 2015.  Aileen was eager to give her dad a “very big hug”.   

Sitting in the last seats on the plane prolonged the wait, not to mention the long lines going through customs, and then going through baggage security check.  Finally the long anticipated wait was over and the four Villatoro children burst through the door to find Max and two other family members waiting with open arms.  What a glorious and emotional reunion.  Hugs, smiles, tears of joy, words of love and welcome and taking pictures filled this moment.  It was glorious to watch. 

For the next ten days, Max and his children were able to spend time together as a family.  The only thing that would have made this trip sweeter would have been for Gloria to have been able to make this trip with the children so the family unit could have been complete.  I went to bed that first evening listening to the sweet noise of Max and his children talking and laughing and enjoying family time together. 

We were generously welcomed into his sister’s home where Max is living.  The next ten days were filled with lots of conversation and activity.  There was the trip to the water park and zoo near Puerto Cortes and a day in San Pedro Sula at the mall and eating pizza.  There were the walks through the palm and banana grooves, a tour of the local school and an evening at a high school soccer game.  But most of our time was spent just hanging out together where Max is staying.  The children met aunts, uncles and cousins for the first time.  They enjoyed long evenings playing together on the front porch.  Max was happy to be with his children once again.  He told me how hopeful it makes him feel to have his children come and visit him in Honduras.

In my conversations with Max, he talked a lot about the importance of family.  Family is the place where values are taught, values like respect, responsibility, work and play.  Family is the place where love and caring for each other is learned and experienced.  For someone like Max who values the importance of family, being torn away from his wife and children is very difficult and painful.

August 16 came too soon for Max and the children.  Having to say goodbye once again was hard and emotional.  There were hugs, words of love and time for taking pictures but with these came tears of sadness and the stark reminder that for now, the Villatoro family would have to remain separated.  The trip back to Iowa was bittersweet.  The children looked forward to seeing their mom again but there was much sadness in having to say goodbye to their dad in Honduras.  May God give them the grace and strength they need to sustain them.

Report and photos by Tim Detweiler

If you would like to contribute to help with the expenses of this trip, you can make a donation to the Villatoro Family Fund http://www.centralplainsmc.org/donate.html.  Thank you!

September 20 will mark six months since Pastor Max Villatoro's deportation, so the Friends of Pastor Max group is calling for a special week of prayer for Max and his family.  Rachel Schrock of First Mennonite Church has prepared these worship resources for the prayer vigil.  These materials can be used by congregations or by individuals.  Please join in this special prayer effort for Pastor Max the week of September 20-27, keeping in mind that our hope is in God's intervention on Max's behalf.

Download the Prayer Vigil resources
more prayer resources

St. Paul, MN – June 20, 2015
Nick Detweiler-Stoddard for Central Plains Mennonite Conference

The recent Father’s Day weekend was set to be a difficult holiday for the Villatoro family. Father and children, husband and wife separated by thousands of miles and a ten-year bar on re-entry to the United States. Yet alongside the pain rang testimonies of hope. 

Three months to the day after Max Villatoro’s deportation to his birth country, Honduras, hundreds of church delegates and pastor colleagues from Central Plains Mennonite Conference (CPMC) gathered with Villatoro’s wife Gloria and their children, Anthony, Edna, Angela, and Aileen. Pastor Max, as he is affectionately called, loomed large on the big screens in the large meeting hall giving encouragement and testimony while interviewed live by his mentor, David Boshart, CPMC’s Executive Conference Minister.

Villatoro was blunt about the difficulties faced. “It’s like they took my life away, my family, when they deported me.” When asked about the experience his response came immediate and terse: “Terrible.” In earlier interviews Villatoro described inhumane conditions and animal-like treatment in U.S. detention. Not allowed to receive his personal identification documents while in prison, he arrived in his native Honduras unable to prove his citizenship and work eligibility there, either.

Yet Villatoro expressed resilient hope in the face of unwavering challenges.  “I have faith. God answered me before, he’ll do it again. I don’t know how long it’s going to take, but I’m going to keep asking, believing him. He’ll open a door and someday I’ll be able to testify of it.”

Testimony was certainly the byword for the conversation taking place across 2,000 miles. Even as the video connection wavered in and out in St. Paul at the end of the interview, Max continued watching from rural Honduras as Gloria and their eldest, Anthony, received the Conference’s 2015 Peace Mug recognition on behalf of the whole family. The annual award goes to those who give witness to Jesus’ way of peacemaking and is marked with encouragement from Psalm 34:14, “Seek peace and pursue it.”

Before the deportation ordeal Gloria and Max exemplified Jesus’ pursuit of justice, reconciliation and peace in their pastoral ministry with Torre Fuerte (Strong Tower) Mennonite Church and with other migrant families through broader community efforts in Iowa City, IA. But in the unbidden travails of Max’s detention, the family found new opportunities to serve as unshakable witnesses to God’s vision for justice and peace in the world. As Boshart confirmed, the testimony of this family and their supporting churches has reached even to the highest places in the U.S. government.

In the midst of turmoil and injustice Gloria, Anthony and the girls have given ample public testimony to the prisoner-releasing, wall-demolishing work of Jesus Christ even as their own husband and father was detained behind unmoving walls and eventually separated from them by thousands of miles and several national borders.

In the closing prayer, Boshart summarized this testimony to God’s good news, “God, we come to you because we know your kingdom has no borders. In Jesus all the walls that divide have been torn down. In Christ we can all be reconciled brothers and sisters without enmity and division.”

Pastor Max assured those gathered that he saw God bringing down walls through their presence, “One of the reasons I keep going, that I’m not depressed right now, [is that] I can see how God has been supporting—how you have been supporting—my family, not just me. It’s going to be hard on my family, but I see you holding them.” Villatoro has not been forgotten by his family or the church, and he has not been forgotten by his God. Seeing this fills him with hope for an eventual return to the U.S., “I say to God, ‘I know you’re going to do something!’ We’re going to see God’s glory, God’s hand in all this…For me it will be a good testimony when I can come back to my family and fix my status in that country.”

As the assembled delegates concluded their conversation with Villatoro, Boshart expressed gratitude for his witness to them, “You strengthen our faith as we see the strength of your faith. We pray that we will see you here next year—in person!”


Photo captions:

Villatoros and mug: Gloria Villatoro (center, holding mug) and her children Angela, Anthony and Edna receive the peace mug honoring their witness for peace during and since Pastor Max Villatoro’s detention and deportation.

Max and Dave:  Pastor Max Villatoro joined the annual meeting of Central Plains Mennonite Conference via teleconference on Father’s Day weekend. Here is interviewed by David Boshart, executive conference minister for Central Plains. 

Max and group: Pastor Max Villatoro joined the annual meeting of Central Plains Mennonite Conference via teleconference on Father’s Day weekend.  His family was awarded a “peace mug” for their witness to God’s vision for justice and peace in the world.

Central Plains Mennonite Conference is an area conference of Mennonite Church USA.  Max Villatoro was licensed for ministry by Central Plains Mennonite Conference and was nearing ordination when he was deported.

Contact:
Shana Peachey Boshart
Central Plains Mennonite Conference
319-936-5905
shanaboshart@centralplainsmc.org

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