RUSK, Texas — On Wednesday, Julio Torres, an East Texas pastor and war veteran who spent five days in an immigration detention center, preached at his home church for the fist time since his release.
Torres was detained at the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport after visiting family during a trip to Mexico. He spent five days in a detention center in Alvarado. He was released on July 3 and reunited with his family just ahead of America's birthday.
This was the first time Torres preached at the Covenant Church of East Texas in Rusk, where he is one of the pastors. Torres led the church in prayer and shared his experience since coming home in a room filled with churchgoers and great spirits.
Torres said his faith in God was tested while being away from his family and the life he knew.
”When our faith fails, sometimes, we wish we had this amazing faith that we never doubt. But that’s not the truth. A lot of us go through doubt, and what happens during those moments of doubt," Torres said.
Friends and members of the congregation were excited to welcome Torres back to a community that loves him so much.
"It's a lot of love to see him out again. That's what we want to see. That's where he needs to be doing the work of God," his friend Kenneth Haley said.
Aside from him speaking to the church, his daughter made an appearance singing.
In the future, Torres plans on walking to the Texas Capitol in Austin to bring awareness about the number of veterans who are deported. He's not yet sure of when that will happen.