Key takeaways:

• Over two dozen Christian and Jewish groups have filed a federal lawsuit against the Trump administration.
• The lawsuit challenges a policy allowing immigration arrests at houses of worship, citing religious freedom infringements.
• The policy is said to have caused a climate of fear among worshippers, reducing attendance at services.
• Prominent religious leaders argue it deters them from ministering to migrants and asylum seekers.

More than two dozen Christian and Jewish organizations, representing millions of Americans including the Episcopal Church and the Union for Reform Judaism, filed a federal lawsuit on Tuesday against the Trump administration. This legal action takes aim at a new immigration enforcement policy allowing agents greater leeway to conduct arrests at houses of worship. The lawsuit, lodged in U.S. District Court in Washington, argues that this policy creates a climate of fear that adversely affects worship attendance and community programs crucial for providing aid to migrants.

The plaintiffs contend that the initiative infringes upon their religious freedom—specifically, their ability to engage with and support undocumented immigrants. “We have immigrants, refugees, people who are documented and undocumented,” said The Most Rev. Sean Rowe, the presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church. “We cannot worship freely if some of us are living in fear,” he added, emphasizing the necessity of gathering to practice their faith fully, a concept underscored in their scriptures.

This lawsuit is a continuation of earlier legal proceedings sparked by five Quaker congregations, seeking similar relief from a federal court in Maryland. The new plaintiffs represent a vast array of congregations, including more than 1 million followers of Reform Judaism, 1.5 million Episcopalians, and significant populations from various other denominations such as the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and the African Methodist Episcopal Church, the nation's oldest predominantly Black denomination.

The lawsuit cites incidents of fear-driven behaviors such as worshipping online instead of in person. The Latino Christian National Network, included as one of the plaintiffs, expressed deep concerns over community trust. Reverend Carlos Malavé shared, “People fear going to the store; they are avoiding going to church.” He further noted, “The churches are increasingly doing online services because people fear for the well-being of their families.”

In response, the Trump administration defended the policy. Tricia McLaughlin, assistant secretary for public affairs at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), asserted that the enforcement aims to protect public spaces from exploitation by criminals. A memorandum from the Department of Justice (DOJ) indicated that immigration enforcement at religious sites had been common practice for decades, countering claims that the policy causes undue harm.

Legal experts remain divided; many conservative faith leaders align with the administration’s stance, asserting places of worship cannot serve as sanctuaries for illegal activity. Mat Staver, founder of the conservative legal organization Liberty Counsel, noted, “Fugitives or criminals are not immune from the law merely because they enter a place of worship.” However, critics argue that this leniency undermines the historically sanctified notion of churches as safe havens for those in need.

As the lawsuit progresses, significant commentary from influential figures, including Pope Francis, highlights the ongoing debate surrounding immigration policy and religious freedom. The Pope recently criticized deportation initiatives, calling them detrimental to human dignity.

The massive scale of this lawsuit poses a formidable challenge for the Trump administration, as noted by attorney Kelsi Corkran, who leads the case at Georgetown University Law Center’s Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection. She emphasized that the faith traditions represented in this lawsuit express a unified commitment to support the vulnerable, regardless of their legal status.

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