No fewer than two dozen Christian and Jewish organisations, representing millions of Americans, have filed a federal lawsuit against the Trump administration.
The suit is challenging a new policy that grants immigration agents broader authority to conduct arrests at houses of worship, according to Reuters.
The lawsuit, filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Washington, argues that the policy instills fear among congregants, leading to decreased attendance at worship services and essential community programs.
The plaintiffs claim this infringes on their religious freedom, specifically their ability to minister to migrants, including undocumented individuals.
“We have immigrants, refugees, people who are documented and undocumented,” said Most Rev. Sean Rowe, presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church.
“We cannot worship freely if some of us are living in fear,” he told The Associated Press. “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 plaintiffs in the lawsuit include major faith organizations such as: The Episcopal Church (1.5 million members); Union for Reform Judaism (over 1 million members); Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) (1.1 million members); African Methodist Episcopal Church (1.5 million members); Christian Church (Disciples of Christ); Church of the Brethren
Others are: Convención Bautista Hispana de Texas (1,100 Hispanic Baptist churches); Friends General Conference (Quakers); Mennonite Church USA (50,000 members); Unitarian Universalist Association; United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism and United Methodist Church and United Church of Christ
The lawsuit builds on a similar legal challenge filed on January 27 by five Quaker congregations, which was later joined by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and a Sikh temple. That case is currently pending in U.S. District Court in Maryland.
The Trump administration has not issued an immediate response to the new lawsuit. However, a Department of Justice (DOJ) memorandum opposing the earlier Quaker lawsuit suggests a likely legal defense.
The DOJ argues that the lawsuit is based on “hypothetical future harm”, which does not justify blocking the policy. The memo also notes that immigration enforcement at houses of worship has been allowed for decades, and the new rule only removes the requirement for pre-approval from supervisors.
Kelsi Corkran, lead counsel for the lawsuit and a lawyer at Georgetown University Law Center, warned that the policy gives immigration agents unrestricted authority.
“Now it’s go anywhere, any time,” she told AP. “They have broad authority to swoop in — they’ve made it very clear they’ll get every undocumented person.”
She cited a case where a Honduran man was arrested outside his family’s church in Atlanta while a service was ongoing.
Plaintiffs argue that the policy endangers community outreach efforts, including food banks, meal programs, and homeless shelters.
The Latino Christian National Network, another plaintiff, described a rise in fear among immigrant communities.