Father Cesar Izquierdo, right, talks about his experience with immigration law with Yakima Bishop Joseph Tyson at a forum at St. Rose of Lima Catholic School in Ephrata. Izquierdo is one of many clergy in the Basin who have had to navigate the labyrinth of immigration law to carry out their ministries.
August 24, 2025
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Ephrata priest gets last-minute visa reprieve
EPHRATA — The Columbia Basin nearly lost a popular priest due to a government glitch. But in a twist that could almost be called miraculous, it didn’t happen. “My visa … expired on June 30,” said Fr. Cesar Izquierdo, pastor at St. Rose of Lima Parish in Ephrata. “In order for me to continue (my work), I needed a permit because it’s a paid position.” Izquierdo was working in the U.S. on an R-1 visa, which is a special visa issued to religious workers – priests, pastors, missionaries, nuns and so forth – to conduct their ministries in the United States. R-1 visas are good for a maximum of five years, and during that time, the holder can apply for a green card, which Izquierdo did.