Latif Salar (holding hymnal), pastor of the Memphis Afghan Church, and Darla Richardson of Refugee Memphis, sing Christmas songs of hope and joy at Second Baptist Church, December 2025.
Micaela Watts/The Institute for Public Service Reporting Memphis
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Micaela Watts/The Institute for Public Service Reporting Memphis
Stephen Cook, the senior pastor of Second Baptist Church in Memphis, has become friends with Latif Salar, the leader of the Christ Community Afghan Church – and since the Trump administration halted asylum processing for all immigrants from Afghanistan last Fall, the two have been working closely together to support members of Salar’s congregation who fear deportation.
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Email us at considerthis@npr.org. This episode was produced by Kathryn Fink. It was edited by Sarah Robbins. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.