North Carolina Pastor Suffers Stroke in ICE Detention, Family Alleges Neglect

Gabriel Johnson III, an associate pastor at Elm Grove Church Ministries in Pikeville, North Carolina, suffered a stroke on July 30, 2026, while in federal immigration detention in Texas. His family says he was denied consistent access to his prescribed medications.

Johnson, 55, was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on July 15, 2026, during a targeted enforcement operation. He arrived in the United States from Liberia as a 16-year-old in 1987 and has lived in the country for nearly four decades.

After his arrest, Johnson was moved through several detention facilities, including locations in Cary, North Carolina, and the Stewart Detention Center in Lumpkin, Georgia, before being transferred to the Prairieland Detention Center in Alvarado, Texas.

His daughter, Gabri Johnson, said her father was denied consistent access to his prescribed medications for blood pressure and stroke prevention, as well as adequate food and water. She said he was paralyzed on one side of his body following the medical event.

ICE and CoreCivic, which operates the Stewart Detention Center, denied the allegations of neglect. ICE said the agency does not interfere with medical judgments and that Johnson was monitored by facility staff. CoreCivic said Johnson's medical issues were addressed and that medication management was handled by their health services team.

The Department of Homeland Security characterized Johnson as a "criminal illegal alien," citing convictions for drug possession, fraud, and mail theft. Johnson's family maintained that he was granted a withholding of removal in 2004, which they argue should protect him from deportation to Liberia. They filed a federal habeas corpus petition challenging his detention.

As of early August 2026, Johnson remained in ICE custody pending removal proceedings.