'They Laughed at Him': Daughter Blames ICE After Detained Liberian Pastor Is Left Paralysed by Stroke

A Liberian pastor detained by US immigration authorities suffered a stroke in custody and is now paralysed on one side, according to his family, prompting his daughter to accuse US Immigration and Customs Enforcement of neglect and declare the agency 'fully responsible' for what happened to Gabriel Johnson.

ICE agents arrested 55-year-old Johnson during what the Department of Homeland Security described as a targeted enforcement operation on 15 July at his family's home in Cary, North Carolina, according to a DHS spokesperson cited by The Christian Post.

A Pastor's Detention and the Stroke That Changed Everything

Johnson, an associate pastor at Elm Grove Church Ministries in Pikeville, North Carolina, arrived in the United States on 30 December 1987 on a visa that authorised him to remain for six months, according to DHS. The agency said an immigration judge issued a final order of removal in January 1991 and that Johnson remains in ICE custody pending removal.

His family disputes the government's account of his immigration status, maintaining that he has maintained lawful status since arriving in the United States as a teenager. Relatives also said Johnson earned a degree from North Carolina Central University and later became an ordained pastor.

DHS, however, said Johnson has a 'lengthy rap sheet', citing convictions for drug possession, fraud, mail theft, use of unauthorised access devices, falsely claiming US citizenship and multiple traffic offences.

The agency also cited charges of harassing communication and simple assault. The precise disposition of every offence and charge cited by DHS was not independently established in the available reporting.

Relatives said Johnson was transferred through multiple facilities, including Stewart Detention Center in Georgia, before being moved to Prairieland Detention Center in Alvarado, Texas, where they said he suffered the stroke. Family members who travelled to Texas said they initially struggled to gain access to him and were able to see him after he was hospitalised.

'They Laughed at Him': Family Alleges Neglect

Gabri Johnson, his daughter, said in a 30 July social media video that her father had repeatedly requested medication, food and water while in detention.

'Like he's been telling them, give me my medication, give me food, give me water. They laughed at him. They refused. My father had a stroke and the left side of his body is completely paralysed right now. ICE is fully responsible for this,' she said.

Her allegations have not been independently verified, and DHS disputes claims that detainees are denied necessary medical care.

Johnson's daughter said her father missed doses of blood pressure medication while detained and alleged that detainees did not receive adequate food or water. His family says the stroke left him without movement on one side of his body and is seeking his release so he can begin rehabilitation.

DHS defended the medical care available in ICE custody, saying it is 'longstanding practice to provide comprehensive medical care' from the time detainees enter custody. The agency said services include medical, dental and mental health care, as available, as well as access to appointments and 24-hour emergency treatment.

'This is the best healthcare many illegal aliens have received in their entire lives,' a DHS spokesperson said. The competing accounts leave a significant factual dispute over Johnson's treatment before his stroke.

His family's allegations about missed medication and inadequate food and water have not been independently established, while DHS's general description of its medical-care policies does not by itself establish what treatment Johnson personally received.

ICE Detention Conditions Face Scrutiny

Questions about conditions inside ICE detention facilities have persisted as the Trump administration expands immigration enforcement.

DHS has said it is 'targeting the worst of the worst' and has cited figures indicating that nearly 70% of ICE arrests involve people who have been charged with or convicted of crimes in the United States. The figure represents the administration's characterisation of its enforcement data and does not mean that 70% of those arrested have criminal convictions.

Critics of the administration's enforcement policies have pointed to cases involving religious leaders and other long-standing community members.

In a separate case in July, immigration authorities detained Mexican pastors Cinthia Sarai Cardona Otero and Nepthali Zozaya Saucedo while they were travelling to a Billy Graham Evangelistic Association event in Texas. DHS said the couple had overstayed visas that expired in 2022, while faith leaders supporting them maintained that they had valid religious-worker visas.

The couple were subsequently released under an Alternatives to Detention arrangement and required to report periodically to immigration authorities while their claims proceed before an immigration judge.

Johnson's case remains unresolved. His family says he suffered serious medical consequences after being denied adequate care, while DHS maintains that people in ICE custody have access to comprehensive medical services.

What has not been independently established is whether Johnson was denied prescribed medication or other necessary care before his stroke, or whether any such lapse contributed to his medical condition. Those questions remain central to his family's accusation that ICE bears responsibility for what happened.