A Ugandan pastor has been arrested in the US. Pastor Steven Tendo was detained by federal immigration authorities outside his workplace in Shelburne on Wednesday before being imprisoned at the Strafford County Corrections in Dover, New Hampshire.
Pastor Steven Tendo moved to Vermont in 2021 as an asylum seeker. But this week, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents gave Tendo with an order of removal, meaning he will be deported to Uganda.
He is a licensed nursing assistant at the University of Vermont Medical Center. The health facility said Pastor Steven Tendo’s arrest was causing “real harm in our communities and our health care system,” according to Vermont Public.
Steven Tendo also has the support of Vermont’s key leaders like Senator Bernie Sanders as he battles detention and impending deportation.
Senators Bernie Sanders and Peter Welch as well as representative Becca Balint have issued a joint written statement on Pastor Steven Tendo.
“Pastor Tendo fled persecution and torture in Uganda and has lived peacefully in Vermont for many years as a valued member of our community,” the leaders said, according to Vermont Public. “People like Pastor Tendo are exactly who our asylum system is meant to protect.”
ICE arrests and deportations have increased significantly under Trump’s second term. As of November 2025, ICE had removed 56,392 individuals, with 97% having no criminal convictions. The Trump administration aims to remove over 1 million individuals annually, with ICE averaging nearly 1,200 arrests and 1,250 deportations daily.
The administration has also intensified efforts to detain individuals with no criminal history, with a sixfold increase in children held in detention. Reports indicate poor conditions and inadequate medical care in detention facilities, sparking protests and lawsuits.
Operation Metro Surge has resulted in over 4,000 arrests in Minnesota, targeting individuals deemed public safety threats. The administration plans to deploy 10,000 additional ICE agents and use private data to identify targets. However, these efforts face legal challenges, with courts questioning the administration’s mandatory detention policies.
You can see new tough US Visa rules for Ugandans Here.
