Federal judge denies request to block ICE operations at houses of worship

A federal immigration judge rules in favor of the Trump administration and declines to block federal immigration enforcement operations at houses of worship

27 groups rooted in Jewish and Christian faiths and representing millions of Americans asked for an injunctive relief to stop any kind of ICE enforcement at their religious institutions after the Department of Homeland Security rescinded its sensitive locations policy in January

The move allows federal immigration officers to carry out immigration enforcement at places of worship and schools

The religious organizations say welcoming and serving immigrants is a central precept of their faith practices

They offer social service ministries, including food and clothing pantries, language classes, legal assistance and job training services to all people without regard to their documentation or legal status

They argued that ICE enforcement actions and surveillance are devastating to their religious practice

and shatter the consecrated space of sanctuary. They say they've seen a significant decline in the number of people attending their services

and they had to increase costs associated with security They also argued federal immigration actions near their places of worship burden members freedom of religious exercise and right to

expressive association under the First Amendment. U.S. District Court Judge Dabney Friedrich in

Washington, appointed by President Trump during his first term, ruled against the religious groups

At least at this juncture and on this record, the plaintiffs have not made the requisite

showing of the credible threat of enforcement, nor does the present record show that places of

worship are being singled out as special targets, Friedrich wrote. A lawyer representing the

religious groups released a statement saying, we are currently reviewing the decision and are

assessing our options. We remain gravely concerned about the impacts of this policy and are committed

to protecting foundational rights enshrined in the First Amendment and the Religious Freedom

Restoration Act. A Maryland federal judge sided with a group of mostly Quaker organizations from

allowing ICE raids in their places of worship, but refused to expand the injunction to all

religious locations. For Straight Arrow News, I'm Lauren Keenan. For more on this story

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