NORTHWEST TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — A Tallahassee faith gathering turned into a powerful call for accountability, unity, and urgent action on immigration detention and human dignity.
- Faith leaders and city officials emphasized unity and reassured residents that local law enforcement will not participate in immigration enforcement as seen in other parts of the country.
- Reverend Dr. R.B. Holmes, Jr. and community advocates are pushing for access to detention centers and federal immigration reform.
- Watch the video to see how the community plans to advocate for immigrants throughout the legislative session.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
As violence continues to dominate national headlines and concerns continue to grow over detention conditions in Florida, Bethel Missionary Baptist Church says the pain isn't distant, it's in their pews.
I'm Lyric Sloan in Northwest Tallahassee, where faith leaders are calling on the community to respond.
"It's not happening in our city. Our city manager understands that the chief of police understands that. That's why I'm saying to you, what we're watching is not law enforcement," Dianne Williams-Cox, Tallahassee City Commissioner Seat 5, said.
That message echoed through Bethel Missionary Baptist Church as community members packed the sanctuary Sunday afternoon.
The gathering brought together pastors, advocates and elected leaders, all addressing what they describe as a growing threat to human dignity.
"If you were to sense it, white pastors and black pastors and our members said we are of one accord. We are one family. We are one nation," Rev. Dr. RB Holmes, Jr., Bethel Missionary Baptist Church Pastor, said.
The service focused on unity, which leaders say doesn't stop at the church doors.
Reverend Holmes says he will continue pushing for pastors to be granted access inside Florida's detention centers, so faith leaders can witness conditions firsthand and advocate for those being held by the state.
The calls for accountability are spreading throughout Tallahassee.
"We have taken what has been a vigil held outside of the Capitol when no one was here to the inside. We have posters that were designed by a woman, Susan Smith in Gadsden County, that are pictures with names, ages and the place that they died of people who have died in ICE detention centers all over the country," Karen Woodall said.
Karen Woodall, the executive director of Florida's People Advocacy Center, says the display is incomplete and growing.
"We've got 23 of them, and sadly, there are more, because this was done back in October in 2025 so we have to update it. Six of those deaths are in Florida," Woodall said.
She's demanding sweeping change.
"We're calling upon the legislature to require that immigration agents not be allowed to wear face coverings and to have to wear identification," Woodall said.
Organizers are also asking the community to show up, even briefly.
Volunteers can sign up to take a shift, standing in solidarity.
If you wish to take part, we'll include a link to help you do that in this story on wtxl.tv.
"We have the signs already in the Capitol. We don't want people to bring their own signs. This is about the message of the people who died, so we want to stay focused on that," Woodall said.
Reverend Holmes says he hopes this unity and dignity prayer was a reminder to the community that justice, compassion, and peace only work when neighbors move together.
In Northwest Tallahassee, Lyrics Sloan, ABC 27.
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