Trump Administration Targets United Methodist School
Lydia Patterson Students Now At Risk
Over the weekend, we United Methodist were shocked by news that Lydia Patterson, a United Methodist related school in El Paso, has recieved word that the visas for many of their Mexican students are in jeopardy.
I made a short video about this, standing in front of Dallas-ICE Headquarters today:
The background can be found in this press release from Lydia Patterson. Here are some highlights:
Background and Context
For over 100 years, Lydia Patterson Institute (LPI), a historic El Paso institution that has educated thousands of young people along the U.S.–Mexico border, has provided a faith-centered, bilingual education to students from both El Paso and Ciudad Juárez.
LPI was recently ranked #3 among private schools in El Paso and placed in the top 20% of private schools statewide in Texas. The Class of 2025 includes 34 graduating seniors, all of whom were accepted into college, collectively earning more than $1.8 million in scholarships.
Our students are legally enrolled, fully documented, and deeply committed to their education. At LPI, we are just as committed to supporting them in every season—including moments of uncertainty.
The Challenge: Visa Delays
On May 27–28, 2025, the U.S. Department of State paused all new student visa appointments (F-1, M-1, and J-1), including some renewals, to implement expanded social media screening. The policy was issued without notice and with no clear guidance for schools or families.
At Lydia Patterson Institute, approximately 40% of our students require student visas, and 99% of our student body crosses the U.S.–Mexico border daily to attend school. Many of these students now face indefinite delays in securing or renewing the documentation that allows them to be physically present on campus.
LPI has contacted SEVIS, Homeland Security, and the U.S. Consulate in Ciudad Juárez multiple times. No answers have been given. Even consular staff are awaiting further instruction.
This lack of clarity is delaying enrollment, creating enormous stress for families, and placing many students' fall semester at risk.
How It’s Affecting Our Students
Several returning and incoming students are now stuck in limbo.
Karla, a rising senior with a 4.0 GPA, has been accepted into a national college readiness program and dreams of becoming a mechanical engineer. Her family followed every legal step. But because of this delay, she may not be allowed to finish her senior year at LPI.
As of now, at least 16 students are directly affected—and that number may grow.
Dr. Stan Copeland, the recently retired pastor of Lovers Lane UMC, has written a template that United Methodists can use to write our Senators. Here is what Stan has written:
I'm a bit worked up about this and hope I don't have to do a Picklin' Parson video calling people out, but I urge United Methodists in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Missouri, Kansas and Nebraska (South Central Jurisdiction that owns LPI) and other United Methodists to write both of your US Senators and Representatives. I am also writing our Texas law makers and our governor and attorney general. You can use this letter for ideas if needed.
The Honorable John Cornyn
United States Senate
517 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
Dear Senator Cornyn,
I write to you today not only as a constituent and fellow Texan, but as a pastor, educator, and long-time supporter of Lydia Patterson Institute (LPI)—a historic, faith-based United Methodist school in El Paso that has served as a beacon of opportunity and hope in the El Paso–Juárez Borderplex for over 113 years.
LPI’s mission has long been supported by United Methodists throughout Texas and across the South Central Jurisdiction, which includes Louisiana, Arkansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Missouri, Kansas, and Nebraska. It is also considered a global mission of the United Methodist Church. The school has empowered generations of bilingual, bicultural leaders who contribute meaningfully to both American and Mexican communities.
Today, I reach out with deep concern over recent actions by the U.S. State Department revoking the visas of students who legally cross the border from Ciudad Juárez to attend LPI. These children are not undocumented immigrants nor in violation of any law. They are legal, documented students attending a private school dedicated to academic excellence and spiritual formation. Their only aim is to learn and build a future—often through Texas colleges and universities.
This decision appears to unjustly target children whose dreams should be cultivated, not crushed. LPI’s graduation rate exceeds 95%, and nearly every graduate continues on to higher education. These are exactly the kind of young people our state and nation should be investing in—not excluding.
Throughout its history, LPI has endured challenges—from global conflicts and economic downturns to the COVID-19 pandemic and, more recently, the denominational shifts within the church. Yet never has the threat come in the form of a government action aimed squarely at its students. This most recent decision seems punitive, unnecessary, and fundamentally contrary to the values we hold as Americans—values that include opportunity, education, and compassion.
Senator Cornyn, as a respected leader in Texas and across the nation, I respectfully urge you to take action by:
Intervening directly with the U.S. State Department to request reversal of this harmful decision impacting LPI students;
Advocating for clear and compassionate policy protections for cross-border students legally enrolled in U.S. schools;
Raising awareness in Congress about the severe, unjust consequences of such actions—especially when they impact children.
These students are not strangers—they are our neighbors, our future, and our shared hope. Lydia Patterson Institute is more than a school. It is a testament to what is possible when education, faith, and cross-border goodwill come together. The United Methodist Church and communities throughout Texas are looking to you for leadership in this moment.
Please, help us ensure that these young lives are not swept up in the undertow of broken policy or political calculation. We are not asking for special treatment—we are asking for justice.
With hope and urgency,
Rev. Dr. Stanley R. Copeland
Supporter of Lydia Patterson Institute
As with so many other Trump-era policies, I ask:
Is there really who Americans want to be?
How are American Christians OK with this?
This school has served its community for 100 years!
Stand up, and speak out.
(EF)