By Daniel Payne
CNA Staff, May 15, 2025 /
14:10 pm
Catholics in Nashville, Tennessee, are calling for the release of a man arrested by immigration officials last week amid broad efforts by the federal government to curb illegal immigration.
A petition started by Catholics there says Edgardo Campos was detained by a “joint operation” between Tennessee state troopers and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on May 9.
Campos was “violently pulled out of his car by ICE agents and arrested,” the petition says, alleging that the detainment was part of an immigration operation carried out under the guise of “traffic violations.”
The petition calls Campos “a beloved, respected, and irreplaceable servant of our community.”
“Edgardo Campos is more than just a name to us — he is the heart of our parish,” it states. “For years, he has faithfully served in multiple ministries, always the first to arrive and the last to leave. He is known by all for his tireless dedication, constantly running up and down our church halls, making sure everything is in order, welcoming others, and offering a helping hand wherever needed.”
“Edgardo does not simply attend church — he lives his faith in both word and action, and his presence is essential to our spiritual life,” it reads.
The petition calls the arrest an “injustice,” a “personal attack against Edgardo,” and “a strike against our shared values and the fabric of our church family.”
The document calls for Campos’ release. “The community will not be the same without him — and we will not rest until he is free,” it states.
Though arrested in part by ICE, it is unclear what Campos’ immigration status is. Reached on Thursday, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office said Campos remains in custody with them but that he has an immigration detainer on file, meaning he may be transferred to ICE custody at some point.
Rick Musacchio, a spokesman for the diocese and the executive director of the Tennessee Catholic Conference, told CNA that Campos reportedly attended Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in Nashville.
That parish “is located in the area of the ICE enforcement action last week,” he said.
“We are very concerned that the immigration enforcement activities in the Nashville area are going well beyond efforts to target individuals accused of serious and dangerous crimes, or those who have received final deportation orders through the immigration court system,” he said.
“Concerns about the lack of due process under law for those picked up in the current environment are creating even greater fear within our communities, including the fear of being confronted or detained while attending Mass or other events at our parishes.”
Mass attendance at both Sagrado Corazon and Our Lady of Guadalupe, the two Spanish-peaking parishes in Nashville, “were both down about 50% this past weekend,” Musacchio said.
In December, Nashville Bishop J. Mark Spalding joined a statement with other bishops from Tennessee and Kentucky calling for “just and humane treatment of all migrants, including access to legal protections, and due process.”
“The Church recognizes that basic human rights are based on the dignity of being created in the image and likeness of God,” the statement said.
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On May 13, meanwhile, the diocese on its website said that, due to the immigration enforcement activities in the area, “many of those in our diocese are concerned about possibly being confronted or detained while attending Mass or other parish events.”
As a result, “no Catholic is obligated to attend Mass on Sunday if doing so puts their safety at risk,” the diocese said.
Daniel Payne is a senior editor at Catholic News Agency. He previously worked at the College Fix and Just the News. He lives in Virginia with his family.
