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Zahra Razavinik, a Christian from Iran, taught preschool students at Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church for years. Immigration officials detained her in January 2026. (Photo montage by Susan Barber)<\/p>\n
Jacob Lujan\/Houston Chronicle<\/p>\n
Zahra Razavinik, an Iranian immigrant who has lived in the United States for nearly three decades, is part of a team of teachers at Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church<\/a> who encourage preschool children to develop their \u201cGod-given gifts.\u201d<\/p>\n Federal immigration officials have deemed her a threat to national security and sent her to the El\u00a0Valle detention center in Raymondville. She\u2019s been detained since January, despite her lack of criminal history<\/a> and efforts to relocate to a country that will grant her a visa.<\/p>\n READ MORE: How Trump’s immigration crackdown reshaped Texas and Houston’s immigrant landscape<\/a><\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n \u201cShe cannot go back to Iran. Keep in mind the country conditions over there,\u201d Razavinik\u2019s attorney, Misbah Chaudhry said. \u201cRight now, it’s open war between Iran and USA.\u201d \u00a0<\/p>\n What\u2019s just as concerning, Chaudhry added, is that Razavinik, 66, is a Christian. \u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIt’s a fundamentalist government over there, very conservative,\u201d she said. \u201cShe is a liberal and because of her religious activities, she has no option to go back.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n It\u2019s unclear how the current conflict between the United States and Iran could impact Razavinik\u2019s fate. The United States and Iran came to an agreement this month to cease hostilities. Chaudhry doubts conditions for people like Razavinik will improve. \u00a0<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Christians in Iran continue to be arrested and imprisoned in the aftermath of the June 2025 12-Day War with Israel, human rights groups have reported. \u00a0<\/p>\n Last year, authorities in Iran arrested more than 250 Christians on charges related to their religious beliefs, an increase of more than 80%, according to Article 18, a London-based nonprofit that advocates for religious freedom in Iran. \u00a0<\/p>\n More than 40 Christians were still serving sentences at the end of 2025, and at least 16 others remained in pre-trial detention, the report states.<\/p>\n MORE COVERAGE: ‘An absolute nightmare’: Trump\u2019s overhaul of legal immigration is alarming critics<\/a><\/p>\n Razavinik has been in the United States since 1997 after she entered the country from Germany, where she was previously granted asylum. In 2006, an immigration judge granted her withholding of removal, a relief from deportation to an immigrant\u2019s home country due to a fear of persecution. She was granted that relief because she was a Christian in a majority Muslim nation, according to a court filing.\u00a0<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n She was ordered to return to Germany or apply for a visa to enter another country but had no luck, Chaudhry said. \u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cShe repeatedly applied to go to Holland, Norway, Canada, France, Denmark, Sweden, Switzerland, and Germany,\u201d she said.\u00a0<\/p>\n Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church sits on the corner of Memorial Drive in Houston. Zahra Razavinik, a teacher from Iran, taught preschool students there\u00a0for years.<\/p>\n Jacob Lujan\/Houston Chronicle<\/p>\n For the last two decades, her friends and family said that Razavinik led a quiet but productive life and worked\u00a0as a preschool teacher at Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church. She has a valid work permit until 2030, her attorney said. Razavinik was also the chief caretaker for her husband, who has a heart condition.\u00a0<\/p>\n During a routine check-in with Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in January, Razavinik was detained after showing proof that she had applied for visas elsewhere. A pastor from the church accompanied her to her appointment, but Razavinik never emerged from the building.\u00a0<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n The ICE field office in Houston did not respond to a request for more information about Razavinik\u2019s detention.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n