Five Quaker groups filed a lawsuit on Monday to stop U.S. immigration agents from conducting arrests and searches in houses of worship, after the Trump Administration revoked long-standing protections for such “safe zones.”
Last week, Trump’s acting Homeland Security secretary rescinded a Biden-era order that limited immigration enforcement in protected areas like hospitals, shelters, and food pantries. The policy change allows agents to target undocumented individuals seeking refuge in churches. Trump has vowed to deport millions of undocumented people.
The Department of Justice declined to comment, and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) did not immediately respond.
The lawsuit, filed in Maryland, argues the new policy violates the Quakers’ constitutional right to religious freedom and disrupts their ability to practice faith. The groups claim the previous protections against enforcement in sacred spaces had been in place for three decades.
“The threat of immigration agents near our services sows fear in our communities and disrupts our faith practice,” said Baltimore Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends, one of the plaintiffs.
The complaint asks Judge Theodore Chuang to declare the policy unconstitutional and block enforcement actions at places of worship.
The lawsuit highlights broader legal battles against Trump’s immigration policies but marks the first such challenge from a faith-based group.
Under the Biden Administration, immigration agents were directed to avoid enforcement in protected areas to ensure undocumented people could access essential services without fear. The rollback of this policy has sparked widespread concern among religious and advocacy groups.
Also read: Dr. Phil Defends Trump’s Immigration Crackdown During Chicago Operation
