The Merced County Superior Court became the backdrop Wednesday for an interfaith meeting honoring migrants and offering prayers for families affected by immigration enforcement in the Central Valley.
About 40 people gathered for about an hour, holding candles and bowing their heads in silence at the event organized by Faith in the Valley.
The event came amid an increase in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement presence in the Central Valley, which included a confirmed arrest in Merced.
The gathering brought together religious leaders, community organizers and residents for an evening of prayer, reflection and calls for community support.
Blanca Ojeda, a community organizer with Faith in the Valley, said the organization wanted to bring people together in solidarity with immigrant families, including those who may be afraid to participate in public gatherings.
“Community’s rights, dignity, and respect being violated,” she said. “Some of you may have loved ones who are basically hiding back in fear because of what’s going on.”
Merced Catholic Church St. Patrick’s Deacon José Morales, who helped lead the prayers, spoke about his own experience as an immigrant.
“I know what it is to be undocumented because I was for many years,” Morales said. “We know that we all are children of God. No one, regardless of faith, should be living in fear. God gave each one of his sons and daughters a dignity that is given by him that we should respect.”
Pastor Madeleine Guekguezian of the United Methodist Church of Merced spoke about the emotional toll of immigration enforcement and encouraged those attending to turn their concerns into action.
“I’d like to offer a faith reflection on what is stirring and breaking in my heart, and I do mean breaking,” she said. “The treatment of undocumented immigrants in the United States, or people who can be profiled under reasonable doubt as such by federal authorities, breaks my heart.”
She encouraged residents to support immigrant families through prayer, financial assistance, volunteering and participation in community efforts.
“Pray against the perpetrators of harm,” Guekguezian said. “Pray that God breaks their heart and opens their conscience. Train as a legal observer, and be willing to leverage the privilege you have to let your little light shine.”
Ryan Bradley, an Anglican priest and co-pastor of The Micah Project Merced, also addressed the gathering, drawing on Biblical teachings about welcoming strangers.
Bradley acknowledged that people may hold different political views on immigration, but he said those disagreements should not justify mistreatment.
“We can have reasonable differences about politics, but when it becomes cruelty, it’s cruelty to Jesus,” Bradley said. “I especially get angry when I see my own faith being used to justify that sort of thing.”
Community member Angela Romero shared her experiences volunteering with the Valley Watch Network, including assisting people released from immigration detention.
Romero described helping a Venezuelan man who, after regaining access to his phone, discovered messages from his family during the earthquakes that affected his country.
“He just stood there frozen as he was looking at all of the buildup of messages in his text messages,” she said. “He shared with me an audio recording of his mother saying goodbye before her building fell.”
The gathering also provided information about resources available to immigrant families.
Ojeda encouraged attendees to participate in Valley Watch Network legal observer training. The network trains volunteers to verify reports of immigration enforcement activity and helps connect affected families with legal resources.
She emphasized the importance of sharing verified information, rather than spreading rumors that could create additional fear.
“Coming together is powerful, and showing unity and standing up and speaking up when you see something wrong is powerful,” Ojeda said.