Religious Groups Sue Over Immigration Raids In Worship Spaces
A coalition of religious organizations, including various Christian and Jewish groups, has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration’s decision to permit immigration enforcement agents to enter places of worship. The complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, claims that allowing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids in churches infringes on their First Amendment rights to religious freedom. The lawsuit argues that such enforcement actions during worship or religious activities would deeply disrupt sacred spaces and hinder essential community outreach and worship practices.
The plaintiffs in the case include several Christian denominations such as the Mennonite Church USA, African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, the Episcopal Church, and regional bodies of the United Methodist Church and United Church of Christ. Jewish organizations like the Union for Reform Judaism and the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism also joined the lawsuit. They argue that religious institutions have a responsibility to care for immigrants and refugees, and the administration’s policy would hinder this mission.
Jim Wallis, a prominent evangelical leader, condemned the administration’s actions, stating that targeting places of worship in this way violates the religious command to welcome strangers and undermines both the First Amendment and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. He emphasized the historical role of faith communities in advocating for justice and religious liberty, particularly for marginalized and vulnerable populations.
Lead counsel Kelsi Corkran asserted that religious traditions across denominations share a moral obligation to support immigrants, regardless of their legal status. She argued that the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) decision to repeal the sensitive locations policy, which protected places like schools and churches from immigration enforcement, violates the religious freedoms of the plaintiffs. Corkran expressed confidence in the lawsuit, emphasizing its importance in protecting these constitutional rights.
The DHS had recently announced the end of the Obama-era policy that restricted immigration enforcement in certain sensitive areas, arguing that it would allow law enforcement to apprehend criminals more effectively. While some religious leaders, such as the Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, do not foresee ICE raids inside churches, they acknowledged the possibility of enforcement actions near religious properties targeting individuals with criminal records.