Every Sunday, an interfaith group sends a message to restore detainees’ dignity and religious freedom.
By Johannes Werner
Original Air Date: September 10, 2025
Host: An appeals court holds the future of the immigrant detention camp in the Everglades in the balance. But Governor Ron DeSantis keeps moving fast, opening a second and a third detention center elsewhere in Florida. Religious groups have been among the first to show up and express their rejection of the treatment immigrants receive. Now, in Sarasota religious resistance is taking shape with weekly interfaith prayer vigils. We have the details.
Johannes Werner: Every Sunday for at least the next five weeks, pastors, priests, reverends and other spiritual people will be meeting 5 pm at Payne Park near downtown Sarasota to pray and protest.
Religious protesters outside the Big Cypress detention camp.
Michelle Jewell is the executive director of SURE. That is short for Sarasota United for Responsibility and Equity. This social justice organization for a dozen local congregations is organizing the weekly events, as she explains, “in solidarity with those detained at the Big Cypress Detention Center and in response to the recent immigrant detention facilities in Florida.”
Here is what the group hopes to accomplish, according to Michelle Jewell:
Michelle Jewell: We’re gathering and praying for not only the detained but for the powers that be—for them to understand that this is what we’re asking for—at least access to provide that pastoral care.
The first one is that we want the clergy to gain access to any and all detention centers so they can provide pastoral care to the detainees. We also are bringing awareness for the violation of the human dignity and religious freedom of the people that are being detained. Our calls to extend mercy and presence regardless of politics, nationality, legal status. We just know that the ability to practice one’s faith is free. It’s not a privilege, and it’s the right of every person.
JW: The prayer vigils happen at Payne Pavilion, which has an awning that can help on rainy Sundays. A first vigil last weekend actually turned into a walk to nearby law and law enforcement institutions.
MJ: That first vigil was actually a prayer walk, and we were able to go by the police station, the courthouse. There was this wonderful labyrinth that’s part of the First Presbyterian Church of Sarasota that’s nearby.
JW: Jewell lists the clergy who will lead the vigils over the next five Sundays.
Prayer vigil outside Alligator Alcatraz.
MJ: This Sunday will be Pastor Alex Evangelista from Pine Shores. Then the following Sunday will be Pastor Wes Bixby. He is coming from First Congregational UCC in Sarasota. Then it’s Reverend Anita Williams, and she is also a pastor here in Sarasota. Then I believe it is Pastor Ashley Nichols from Saint Paul’s and Pastor Ryan from 12 Springs, pastor Ryan McBride.
JW: The list could be growing.
MJ: I am hoping—I know that one of the rabbis is being reached out to in Sarasota, and hopefully they will be able to join soon. My intention is to speak to the Catholic Church to see if they would be able to lead a prayer service as well, because this is not one faith—one denomination. This is across the board. Anybody who would like to pray with us—anyone who would like to lead prayer for these issues—they are more than welcome. I hope that more people will reach out to us, more people will show up. It is open to everyone, even if you do not belong to a particular religion or denomination but believe that what’s happening is unjust and you want to call attention to what’s happening and be a public witness, I encourage you to join us from 5 to 6 p.m. at Payne Park every Sunday.
JW: Reporting for WSLR News, Johannes Werner.
WSLR News aims to keep the local community informed with our 1/2 hour local news show, quarterly newspaper and social media feeds. The local news broadcast airs on Wednesdays and Fridays at 6pm.
