Pastor Viktor Tomiyev released from ICE custody after nearly a month in detention
Viktor Tomiev, a Russian-speaking pastor from Ukraine known to listeners for his sermons and online services, has been released on bail following detention by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). He shared the news himself, speaking during his first sermon after his release.
According to Tomiev, he was detained at an airport about a month ago. He was released from custody on Wednesday, three weeks after his arrest, after a court granted him release on bail. In his sermon, the pastor did not disclose the reasons for his detention or his immigration status; as of publication, these details have not been officially confirmed.
“When I was released on Wednesday, I thanked God that I’m alive, that I have wonderful friends and family, and that I’m free,” Tomiev said.
The pastor said that at first he tried to understand why this had happened to him, but then focused on what he could do given the situation. He said the first word of his arrest reached his congregation by phone — the only means of communication available to him — and that he tried not to dramatize the situation so as not to alarm his flock any more than necessary.
Tomiev described the detention conditions as extremely harsh: a cramped cell, an absence of familiar comforts, and almost no contact with the outside world — no books, no letters, no visits from relatives or a lawyer.
While detained, the pastor met two Russian-speaking cellmates. One of them, who had struggled with drug addiction for many years, decided after conversations about faith to decline placement in a rehabilitation program alongside other former addicts, insisting instead on a complete break from his past environment — even at the cost of serving a longer sentence. According to Tomiev, a panel of judges approved his release after he stated his position. The second cellmate, the pastor said, began reading the Bible during his detention and discussed questions of faith and forgiveness with him. Tomiev also said he prayed with several detainees before his release.
Pastor Viktor Tomiev is affiliated with a religious organization registered in Washington state and with Worthy Life Church, where he leads services and posts sermons on his YouTube channel, which is popular among Russian-speaking audiences.
The editorial team continues to follow the situation and intends to seek clarification from immigration authorities on the official circumstances of Viktor Tomiev’s detention and release.
