Clergy Accompaniment: Needed at Dallas ICE Field Office

CLEAR is expanding its witness and ministry at the Dallas ICE Field Office.

We are currently training and deploying clergy to be present at the Field Office throughout the week.

Many more migrants are being detained at the Field Office, and there is a need for pastoral support for they and their families, working alongside our community organizer friend with Vecinos Unidos.

This includes: helping families deal with the trauma they are experiencing in that moment, praying with them, accompanying them to the office, helping them recover personal items (even cars), or even understand what is happening in that moment.

This new clergy role is something like a chaplaincy role, where we maintain a non-anxious presence, and seek to be helpful in what is need in the moment for people who are experiencing the trauma of that moment. Our goal is not to “problem solve,” but to provide a ministry of presence during a time of trauma, confusion, and suffering.

Requires training through CLEAR & Vecinos Unidos DFW, and the ability to be a quiet, calm, and confident presence. Professional clergy, chaplains, spiritual directors & therapists recommended; Spanish speakers desired but not required.

Our goal is to cover 5:30 am to 2:30 pm, Monday through Friday.

Shift one: 5:30 am to 8:30 am
Shift two: 8:30 am to 11:30 am
Shift three: 11:30 am to 2:30 pm

It’s possible to sign up for different days on different weeks.
Our goal is at least two persons each shift.

We ask anyone who wants to participate to be trained by familiarizing themselves with an important training document, and speak with us ahead of time.
No one should show up unannounced or unscheduled.

There is a need for more Spanish-fluent volunteers to help in this part of the effort too!
WE NEED YOU!

We are grateful for Vecinos Unidos, Dallas For Change, and other local groups for their own compassionate care for migrants and families, and honored to accompany and work with them in this effort.

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Our Prayer Vigils also continue.

We invite our dedicated band of faithful witnesses to continue gathering on the FREEWAY side of the building, only.
Primary Prayer Vigil time is: 8-10 am, Mondays.
But we hope to expand the weekly dates/times too.

For latest information about the Vigils, CLICK HERE.

CLEAR Prayer Vigil & Witness

Check Back Here for the most recent info on the CLEAR Prayer Vigils.
(This post last updated on: 11.10.25)

What:
Clergy-led prayer vigil outside the Dallas ICE Field Office.
(8101 North Stemmons Expressway)

The vigil takes place on the front…Stemmons Expressway side…of the Field Office.
Please gather there, and join us in vigil there.

We begin and end with prayer. We interact with migrants who come for appointments, and pray that ICE act with justice and compassion, and that they not morally harm their own souls.

Regular volunteers often bring signs with faith-based, or justice-based messages. These are optional for anyone who wants them.

When:
Mondays from 8 am to 10 am

Who:
We arrange to have local clergy as lead-participants, but we welcome “any and all persons of good will.”

VIGIL vs PROTEST

Please understand our faith-based intent, in this description, written by CLEAR Supporter, Rev. Phil Dieke:

”As we gather weekly at the ICE Headquarters in Dallas we do so in a posture of vigil. We keep awake and alert even when others are "sleeping." This is a sign of support and solidarity, as well as a practice of discipline as we focus our attention on the injustice happening in our community and our country. We focus our attention on the humanity of each individual affected by the inhumane and illegal actions of our government. We refuse to ignore what is taking place. We stand awake. We stand alert. We stand and we pray.”

Parking:

We strongly urge you not to park anywhere your car is likely to be towed, and it is possible that towing cars could be a tactic for distracting our group.

We have arranged for parking at a building owned by Domingo Garcia:

1111 W. Mockingbird Lane

In transparency, this is a five minute walk (.3 mi) from ICE. It’s several blocks up the service road to Ice from there, but there is blanket permission to park there, should you wish.

Many others are parking in the commercial lots to the North of ICE HQ of the highway service road. Some of those business are either temporarily closed, or do not open until after 10 am.

What is Appropriate:

1. Stay on the front public sidewalk.
2. Please DO pray prayers or offer statements from your own faith tradition. There will be times of silence.
3. You will encounter migrants wishing to have prayer, and we should be prepared to pray with them.
4. If ICE agents wish prayer, we will pray for them as well.
5. We do not intend to call the media each week, but it is likely the media will show up from time to time.
6. Livestream if you wish. But please: No pictures of migrants or their families. And please do not share any identifying information about affected persons.
7. Our goal is consistency of witness over time.
8. You own signs are welcome, but we’d ask for signs with a faith-based message, or a specific civic message with a faith-component.
9. Please do not join the pastoral community organizer work happening on the back of the building, without training from CLEAR (pastoral work) or Vecinos Unidos (community work).
10. If migrants approach our group during the vigil, and here is no community organizer to assist them present, please walk them around to the BACK of the building and the Vecinos Unidos table there. This will allow our partners to assist them before their appointment.

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TEXT MESSAGE ALERTS

CLEAR uses a text alert system for any last minute info related to our vigils. We will only send one reminder-per week, and any rapidly changing info needed by you.

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Addition Questions regarding our vigils? Schedule? Participation?

Reach out with our vigil contact form.

Immigration Court Observers

In Dallas citizens/community members are now doing observing of Immigration Court proceedings.

CLEAR works alongside Vecinos Unidos, and Dallas Area Interfaith, in recruiting volunteers for this effort.

This includes hall monitoring; and possible accompaniment, or courtroom observer.

Requires attendance at an information session, and online training.
Information sessions are scheduled semi-regularly.

The “ask” is for AM or PM shift as you can on M-Fs at immigration court downtown.

Trainings posted on Vecinos Unidos DFW social media.

We will cross-post training info below, as we become aware of them.

DO NOT SHOW UP AT THE COURTHOUSE WITHOUT PRIOR TRAINING OR SIGNING UP FOR A SHIFT.

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LATEST UPDATES (11.12.25)

Next Training Orientation
Vecinos Unidos Immigrant Court & Community Training 

Event Timing: November 22, 2025, 11:30 - 2:30 PM
Event Address: Cathedral of Hope United Church of Christ,
Fellowship Hall (Main Building),
5910 Cedar Springs Road, Dallas, TX 75235

Contact Emily for training information at: dr.castillo@vecinosunidosusa.org 

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Want To Donate? Consider Vecinos Unidos

Because CLEAR is a loose consortium of faith-based leaders and many congregations, we have no need to raise funds. Our minimal costs are covered participating churches.

But our partners in this work, Vecinos Unidos, ARE raising funds for directly assist migrants in two ways.

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ICE Abductions Mutual Aid: Support for Separated Families

The Vecinos fund to support separated families intends to provide financial assistance to affected families.
Full information can be found HERE.

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Costs of Supplies & Community Engagement Resources

This Vecinos fund helps with supplies related to the court observer program downtown, and the accompaniment program at the Dallas ICE Field Office.

CLEAR Statement on Dallas ICE Field Office Shooting

Read our statement about that horrific event HERE.