Religious groups sue to stop Trump admin from arresting migrants in places of worship
A coalition of 27 Christian and Jewish groups representing millions of Americans has filed a lawsuit challenging a recent Trump administration action that allows federal immigration enforcement to make arrests in places of worship. The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Washington, was brought on behalf of a diverse range of religious groups, including the Episcopal Church, the Union for Reform Judaism, the Mennonites, and Unitarian Universalists.
The lawsuit challenges an order by President Donald Trump that reversed a Biden administration policy barring agents from arresting illegal migrants in sensitive places like churches, schools, and hospitals. According to the lawsuit, Trump’s new policy has sparked fear of raids, leading to lower attendance at worship services and other church programs. This impact on attendance is argued to infringe on the groups’ religious freedom, particularly their ability to minister to migrants, including those in the U.S. illegally.
The Most Rev. Sean Rowe, the presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church, expressed concern over the potential impact of the new policy on worship services. “We have immigrants, refugees, people who are documented and undocumented. We cannot worship freely if some of us are living in fear,” he stated. “By joining this lawsuit, we’re seeking the ability to gather and fully practice our faith, to follow Jesus’ command to love our neighbors as ourselves.”
The lawsuit names the Department of Homeland Security and its immigration enforcement agencies as defendants. DHS assistant secretary for public affairs, Tricia McLaughlin, defended the new policy, stating that it aims to prevent criminal aliens and gang members from exploiting sensitive locations for safe haven.
A similar lawsuit was filed by five Quaker congregations and later joined by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and a Sikh temple, which is currently pending in U.S. District Court in Maryland. The new lawsuit represents a significantly larger number of American worshipers, including followers of Reform Judaism, Episcopalians, Presbyterians, and members of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, among others.
Lead counsel Kelsi Corkran highlighted the religious obligation of the plaintiffs to embrace and serve refugees, asylum seekers, and immigrants without regard to documentation or legal status. Before Trump’s policy change, immigration agents generally needed special authorization to conduct operations in places of worship, schools, and hospitals. The new policy allows for broad authority to carry out immigration enforcement operations without pre-approval from a supervisor.
The lawsuit outlined how the new policy may impact the plaintiffs’ operations, with many churches hosting support services for illegal migrants who may now be fearful of participating. Rev. Carlos Malavé of the Latino Christian National Network described the fear among migrants in the wake of the new policy, noting that people are avoiding going to church and engaging in online services due to concerns for their families’ well-being.
While some conservative faith leaders and legal experts support immigration enforcement targeting places of worship to arrest migrants, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has not joined the lawsuit. Pope Francis has criticized the administration’s immigration policies, emphasizing the inherent dignity of individuals regardless of their immigration status. The debate surrounding immigration enforcement in places of worship raises complex questions about religious freedom, law enforcement, and the treatment of migrants within the United States.
