Catholic priest from Venezuela was temporarily denied entry to US, Miami archdiocese says

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By Jasper Ward

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -A Venezuelan-born Catholic priest with a valid U.S. religious worker visa was temporarily denied re-entry to the U.S. this week, and was only granted admission following an appeal by Miami’s Catholic archbishop, his office said in a statement.

The temporary denial of entry to Father Gustavo Santos came after President Donald Trump in June partially restricted entry to people from Venezuela and six other countries. Individuals on religious worker visas were not included in those restrictions.

After returning to the U.S. on Tuesday from a trip to London, Santos “was unexpectedly and wrongfully denied admission into the United States,” the Archdiocese of Miami said in a statement.

Archbishop Thomas Wenski worked with Catholic Legal Services lawyers to bring the case before a federal judge. “As a result, U.S. Customs and Border Protection reconsidered the case, and Father Santos has since been released and allowed to reenter the country,” said the statement, which was released on Tuesday.

The Department of Homeland Security – under which CBP falls – did not immediately provide comment.

Trump’s travel restrictions are part of a broader immigration crackdown that has included the deportation to El Salvador of hundreds of Venezuelans suspected of being gang members, as well as efforts to deny enrollments of some foreign students and deport others.

The president’s critics, including Democrats, argue his travel restrictions and broader crackdown are discriminatory and heavy-handed. Trump, a Republican, says the measures are needed to ensure national security.

(Reporting by Jasper Ward; Editing by Daniel Wallis)