DC Black Churches Urge Immigration Officials to Stop Using Church Parking Lots

Black and mainline Protestant clergy in Washington, DC, have called on immigration officials to stop using church parking lots. In a public letter signed by nearly two dozen religious and community leaders, they emphasized that the property of houses of worship is private and should not be used without permission. The letter, which includes leaders from interfaith and social justice organizations, highlights concerns about the impact of federal enforcement on congregations and their communities.

Immigration arrests have increased under President Donald Trump, who has prioritized deportations and large-scale roundups. Shortly after his inauguration, Trump reversed a policy that had long prevented enforcement actions in churches and religious institutions. Christian and Jewish groups challenged this policy in court, arguing it led to more surveillance. However, in April, a federal judge ruled in favor of the administration.

The DC ministers’ letter warns that the presence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers or other federal officials on church property can create the appearance of support for the Trump administration’s approach to policing the city. This, they argue, contributes to the “disappearance of our neighbors, family members, and friends.” Patricia Fears, pastor of Fellowship Baptist Church, reported that ten Black and Latino churches have seen ICE vehicles or unknown cars, some with masked individuals, in their parking lots. ICE did not comment on the matter.

Fears, who organized the letter with an interfaith group, said officers were not arresting congregants but using church lots to stage operations and detain people nearby. The presence of federal officers has limited ministry efforts. Some individuals, including undocumented immigrants, have avoided churches, fearing association with enforcement activities. Fears noted that over the weekend, she was asked to pray privately with people whose loved ones were arrested, including those who went to work and never returned.

Graylan Hagler, a senior adviser with the Fellowship of Reconciliation USA and co-organizer of the letter, expressed concerns about the broader implications of federal presence on religious spaces. The coalition’s message underscores the tension between immigration enforcement and the sanctity of religious institutions, reflecting a call for respect for private property and the protection of vulnerable communities.

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