Montebello pastor detained by ICE fears he'll miss son's birth

MONTEBELLO, Calif. (KABC) -- A Montebello pastor who was born in the Soviet Union was detained just before Father's Day when he showed up to an immigration status meeting. Now, his wife is speaking out as the couple's third child is due next month.

"We have Jesus, and he's going to take care of us, and that everything is going to be alright," Yekaterina Glushchuk says she tells her young daughters.

Yekaterina says it's tough trying to answer her little girls' question: "When will daddy come home?"

Her husband, Gennediy Glushchuk, has been in ICE custody for two weeks. He's the pastor at God Will Provide Christian Church in Montebello, which his family founded.

Gennediy was detained when he went in for his annual immigration status meeting in downtown Los Angeles on June 14, the day before Father's Day.

"It was also when the riots and protests were happening, so we were afraid to miss that and be detained in front of his children," Yekaterina said. "So we came on Friday, June 13, to check in, and they detained him there. "

Gennidiy was born in the USSR and has made a life in California. His wife says that before becoming a pastor, he had issues with addiction and served time in jail. He found religion and purpose in the church.

The family has set up a GoFundMe to help with expenses connected to getting his release.

Meanwhile, Yekaterina is expecting their third child, a boy.

The family said they've spoken to Gennediy, and he's being held at a facility in El Paso, Texas.

Yekaterina said their oldest daughter asks the same questions when he calls.

"Every time dad calls, she goes, 'Dad, where are you? When are you going to be home? Can we go to the park?'" Yekaterina said. "And I know that it breaks his heart, too, because he really wishes that he could be here with her, and that he could be here with me and the kids."

The family hopes to have Gennidiy home in time to see his son being born. The due date is July 10.

This story has been updated to show Gennediy Glushchuk was born in the Soviet Union.