N.J. pastor returns to Sunday service after being released by ICE. Here's what he experienced.

Yeison Cortes Vasquez was back at his church in Elizabeth, New Jersey, on Sunday, one day after being released from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody.

Why Pastor Vasquez was detained

Vasquez was detained back on March 20, with the Department of Homeland Security saying he had overstayed his tourist visa from Colombia that expired in 2016.

In a recent statement, the agency said, "Cortes Vasquez has been released on bond with a GPS monitor while he undergoes further removal proceedings. He will receive full due process."

Enid Almanzar, a fellow pastor with the National Latino Evangelical Coalition, said ICE detainments have ravaged the Latino church community.

"We've seen anywhere from a 30% to an even 80% drop in attendance because people are just simply afraid to come out," Almanzar said.

"God had a purpose"  

Vazquez's parishioners at The Gathering Place in Elizabeth were relieved to see their pastor return to Sunday service.

Speaking through a translator, Vasquez said of his time being detained, "I cried a lot for my wife and daughters and my church, but God had a purpose."

Vasquez read part of a letter he wrote to his church community while detained at Delaney Hall. The father of three shared that he was head of discipleship and bible study at the ICE detention facility.

"A thousand and a thousand thank you for taking care of my daughters and my wife," Vasquez said.

"It's a feeling you just can't explain"  

Parishioners were overjoyed to see Vasquez, saying his absence was deeply felt since he was detained on March 20 while working his day job in food delivery. His community rallied and helped him get legal counsel.

"We all cried today at the service. Like, everyone cried," Margarita Lainez said.

"It's a feeling you just can't explain," Guido Rodriguez added.

While parishioners say their prayers have been answered, the pastor, himself, told them to "keep praying that [they] are still at the detention center."

He is also asking the faithful to pray for the authorities.