Religious groups appeal to Trump administrators to stop arrest immigrants at places of worship

A coalition of 27 Christian and Jewish groups representing millions of Americans filed a lawsuit on Tuesday challenging the actions of the Trump administration. Federal immigration enforcement Arrested at a place of worship.

The federal lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court in Washington was filed on behalf of a variety of religious organizations, including the Anglican Church, the Reformed Judaism Union, Mennonites and Unitarian Universities.

The lawsuit challenged President Donald Trump’s order and overturned the Biden administration’s policy of banning agents from arresting illegal immigrants in sensitive places such as churches, schools and hospitals.

Trump’s new policies have caused fear of attacks, lowering attendance at worship services and other church programs, according to the lawsuit. Due to this impact on attendance, the lawsuit alleges that it violates the group’s religious freedom, particularly its ability to illegally serve immigrants, including US immigrants.

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“We have immigrants, refugees, people who have been documented and undocumented,” the Rev. Sean Lowe, bishop of the Anglican Church, told The Associated Press.

“If some of us live in fear, we cannot worship freely,” he added. “By participating in this case, we seek the ability to gather our faith and practice it in full, in order to follow Jesus’ command to love our neighbors as ourselves.”

a Similar lawsuits It was submitted on January 27 by a five-quaker congregation, later joined by a cooperative Baptist Fellowship and Sikh temple. The case is currently pending in US District Court in Maryland.

The new lawsuit names the Department of Homeland Security and its immigration enforcement agencies as defendants.

“We protect schools, places of worship, and Americans by preventing criminals and gang members from exploiting these places and stealing safe shelters there. “DHS Public Relations Officer Deputy Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement.

“The DHS directive gives our law enforcement the ability to do our job,” she said.

The memorandum filed by the Justice Department on Friday opposes the discussion of the Quaker lawsuit and could also apply to new lawsuits.

The DOJ argues that the plaintiff’s demand to block new immigration enforcement policies is based on hypothetical future harm speculations. This says it creates an inadequate basis for the court to side with Quakers and issue an injunction.

The memo says that DOJs have been permitted for decades to enforce immigration affecting places of worship, and a new policy released last month should use “common sense” and “discretion” for field agents. He said he said he could now carry out immigration enforcement work. A worship house without prior approval from the supervisor.

Some of that memo may not apply to new lawsuits as Quaker and fellow plaintiffs allegedly have no basis for seeking a national injunction to protect all religious groups from new policies. .

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“Relief in this case should be tailored to suit the nominated plaintiffs only,” the DOJ memo said, arguing that the injunction should not apply to other religious groups.

The plaintiffs in the new lawsuit include more than one million reformed Judaism, approximately 1.5 million Anglican Churches, more than one million members of the Presbyterian Church (USA), and an estimated 1.5 million active members. It represents the number of American worshipers. African Methodist Anglican Churches, etc.

“The massive scale of the lawsuit will be difficult for them to ignore,” said Chief of Kelsi Corklan, a lawyer at the Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection at Georgetown University Law Center. He told the newsletter.

Corklan said that plaintiffs “provide unanimity that their Bible, teaching, and traditions cannot refute their religious obligation to accept and serve refugees, asylum seekers and migrants, regardless of their documents or legal status. said he joined the lawsuit.

in front The change in Trump Regarding federal government policies, Corklan is not required to require immigration agents generally require a judicial warrant or other special permit, and other special approvals for operation in places such as worship, schools, hospitals, etc. I stated.

“I’m going anywhere, anytime now,” she said. “Now they have a wide range of authority to dive down. They’ve made it very clear that they’ll get all undocumented people.”

The lawsuit outlined how some of the plaintiff’s operations could be affected. Some, including the revised Judaism and Mennonite Union, are currently fearing that many of their synagogues and churches will be involved in on-site food banks, meal programs, homeless shelters and other things for illegal immigrants who are afraid to participate. He said he was hosting support services.

One plaintiff, the Latinx Christian National Network, explained the horrors among immigrants, sparked by a new Trump administration policy.

“There is a deep embracing fear and mistrust of our government,” the Rev. Carlos Malave, pastor of two churches in Virginia, told The Associated Press. “People are afraid to go to shops and avoid going to church. …The church is increasingly providing online services as people fear the happiness of their families.”

One religious group that did not take part in the new lawsuit is the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, which criticizes Trump’s plan to expel the U.S., but leads the largest denomination in the country.

On Tuesday, Pope Francis criticized the administration’s immigration policy, claiming that strong removal of people due to their immigrant status would deprive them of their inherent dignity, and that doing so would “end awfully end.” .

However, many conservative faith leaders and legal experts across the country do not share any concerns about immigration enforcement targeting places of worship to arrest immigrants.

“The place of worship is for worship and not a sanctuary for those who are engaged in illegal or illegal activities,” he said, founder of Liberty Advisor for a conservative Christian legal organization. Matt Staver told The Associated Press.

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“Fugitives and criminals are not immune from the law simply because they enter a place of worship,” he said. “This is not a matter of religious freedom. We have no right to openly violate the law and against law enforcement.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.