Fourth Group of Religious Organizations Sues US Over ICE Raids at Churches

A group of religious organizations has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. government over immigration enforcement actions that targeted faith-based locations. The complaint details incidents where federal agents detained individuals near churches, raising concerns about the impact on religious communities. The suit includes allegations that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) conducted raids at churches, including a Disciples of Christ church in Downey, California, where a man was detained in the parking lot. The incident was captured on video, and a pastor confronted the agents on-site.

The complaint also mentions detentions at two Catholic churches in the San Bernardino Diocese, including a man working on landscaping for one of the congregations. In response to these incidents, Bishop Alberto Rojas of the San Bernardino Diocese has stated that Catholics are not obligated to attend Mass if doing so puts their safety at risk. This follows a similar statement from the Diocese of Nashville in May, which also advised parishioners to prioritize their safety over attending Sunday services.

The lawsuit includes multiple incidents of arrests near churches, including one on a sidewalk outside a Catholic church in Downey on the same day as the video of the Disciples of Christ church incident. The plaintiffs argue that such actions have a chilling effect on church attendance and participation in religious activities. The Los Angeles Catholic Archdiocese has disputed the connection between the apprehended individual and the church or its affiliated school, as initially reported.

This new lawsuit joins at least three other separate lawsuits filed by faith groups since the Trump administration took office. The plaintiffs include a wide range of religious organizations, from denominations such as the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, the Episcopal Church USA, and the Union for Reform Judaism, to individual Catholic parishes and a Sikh temple in California. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) is also involved in the new filing, though it was not a party in previous lawsuits related to sensitive location policies.

The ELCA’s presiding bishop, Elizabeth Eaton, explained in a video statement in February that the denomination’s internal structure prevented it from having standing as a collective entity in such lawsuits. She encouraged individual congregations and bodies to join if they could establish legal standing. The administration is also facing at least two other lawsuits related to its immigration policies, highlighting ongoing legal challenges to enforcement practices.

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