Quakers Challenge Trump Administration’s New Policy Enabling ICE To Enter Houses of Worship

President Trump has made it clear that immigration enforcement operations can occur in previously immunized “sensitive locations,” including churches. 

In response, Democracy Forward filed the complaint in federal district court in Maryland. Its press release says that

“a coalition of Quaker meetings, which includes the oldest Quaker meeting in the world, filed suit in the federal court in Maryland to block the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from its abrupt shift in policy that enables federal immigration enforcement officials to enter houses of worship for their immigration enforcement actions. The policy is already sowing fear within migrant friendly congregations and has led to cancellations in worship services out of fear, the complaint states. The suit alleges that the Trump policy violates the First Amendment and other protections.

Plaintiffs, represented in the legal challenge by Democracy Forward, include Philadelphia Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends, New England Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends, Baltimore Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends, Adelphi Friends Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends, and Richmond Friends Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends.” (bold added).

KJ