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A coalition of Christian and Jewish organizations, representing millions of Americans, has filed a federal lawsuit against the Trump administration over its policy that allows immigration agents greater authority to conduct arrests in houses of worship.
The lawsuit, submitted to the U.S. District Court in Washington, argues that the policy is instilling fear in immigrant communities, leading to decreased attendance at religious services and community programs. The plaintiffs assert that this violates their religious freedom, particularly their ability to provide spiritual and humanitarian support to undocumented migrants.
“We serve a diverse congregation, including immigrants, refugees, and individuals with varying documentation statuses,” said the Most Rev. Sean Rowe, the head bishop of the Episcopal Church. “Fear should not prevent people from freely practicing and enhaging in their faith.”
This case builds on a separate lawsuit filed in January by five Quaker congregations, which was later joined by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and a Sikh temple. That lawsuit is currently being heard in a Maryland federal court.
While the Trump administration has yet to respond to the new legal challenge, a Department of Justice memorandum issued last Friday in response to the earlier Quaker lawsuit argued that plaintiffs were basing their claims on speculative harm rather than concrete violations. The memo further stated that immigration enforcement within places of worship has been allowed for decades, with the recent policy update merely granting field agents the discretion to act without prior approval from supervisors.
One argument presented in the memo may not directly apply to the new lawsuit, as it claimed that any legal injunction should be limited to the specific plaintiffs rather than applied nationwide. However, the latest lawsuit includes a significantly broader array of religious organizations, covering millions of worshippers across various denominations.
The plaintiffs include major faith groups such as the Episcopal Church, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), the African Methodist Episcopal Church, the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), and the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism. Other organizations, such as the Mennonite Church USA, the Unitarian Universalist Association, and the Friends General Conference, have also joined the case, emphasizing their religious duty to support migrants regardless of legal status.
Kelsi Corkran, lead attorney for the lawsuit from Georgetown University Law Center’s Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection, stressed the significance of the case. “Religious doctrine across these faiths strongly affirms the moral responsibility to aid and welcome immigrants, including those facing legal uncertainty,” she explained.
Previously, immigration officers required judicial warrants or special authorization before taking enforcement actions at places of worship, schools, and hospitals—locations traditionally considered “sensitive.” However, under the revised policy, agents can act without such restrictions.
“This change grants sweeping authority to conduct operations without prior approval,” Corkran told the Associated Press. She cited a recent case in which a Honduran man was detained just outside his family’s church in the Atlanta area while a service was in progress.
Faith groups involved in the lawsuit warn that the new policy is already impacting their outreach efforts. Many congregations run food banks, shelters, and other community services that undocumented individuals rely on, but fear of arrest is preventing many from seeking help.
The Latino Christian National Network, another plaintiff, reports that fear is widespread among immigrant communities. The network’s president, Rev. Carlos Malavé, described how many individuals are now avoiding public places, including places of worship. “People are afraid to go to the store, let alone attend church,” he said. “More and more congregations are turning to online services because members fear for their families.”
Although the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops did not join the lawsuit, it has spoken out against the administration’s immigration policies. On Tuesday, Pope Francis condemned mass deportations, arguing that forcibly removing people based solely on immigration status strips them of their dignity.
However, some conservative faith leaders and legal experts defend the administration’s stance. Mat Staver, founder of Liberty Counsel, a conservative Christian legal group, argued that places of worship should not serve as havens for undocumented individuals.
“Churches are meant for worship, not as shelters for unlawful activity,” Staver said in a statement. “No person is above the law simply because they enter into a religious building.”
Boston College professor Cathleen Kaveny, who specializes in law and theology, suggested that while the religious freedom argument may face legal challenges, disregarding the traditional role of churches as sanctuaries could prove politically and morally controversial.
“Houses of worship have long been seen as places of refuge for the vulnerable,” she noted. “In many ways, they are like embassies—spaces that transcend national borders.”
