• Quaker groups have sued to block immigration arrests in places of worship, citing violations of religious freedom and administrative law.
• The lawsuit challenges the reversal of a Biden-era policy that protected sensitive locations like churches, schools, and hospitals from enforcement actions.
• Faith communities argue the policy creates fear, disrupts worship, and undermines their ability to provide outreach and services.

Quaker organizations have filed a lawsuit to block U.S. immigration agents from conducting arrests and searches in places of worship. This legal challenge comes after the Trump Administration revoked a Biden-era policy that shielded "protected areas" like churches, schools, and hospitals from immigration enforcement actions.

Lawsuit Challenges Policy Change

On Monday, five Quaker groups, including the Baltimore Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends, took legal action in Maryland federal court. They argue that the policy infringes on their constitutional right to religious freedom. The lawsuit highlights concerns that the policy instills fear in congregations and disrupts their ability to practice faith, with some services already being canceled.

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According to the complaint, the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) decision reverses three decades of guidance that discouraged immigration enforcement in sensitive locations. The Quakers claim that this policy violates administrative law and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.

“The very presence of ICE agents near our religious services threatens our faith communities and undermines our ability to worship freely,” the Baltimore Yearly Meeting stated.

Trump Administration’s Immigration Agenda

This policy shift is part of former President Donald Trump’s broader objective to increase deportations of undocumented individuals. Trump has committed to deporting millions, and DHS says the new rules prevent undocumented immigrants from using churches to avoid arrest.

The Biden Administration previously directed agents to avoid sensitive areas like shelters, hospitals, and food pantries to ensure immigrants could access essential resources. However, Trump’s acting secretary of DHS overturned this guidance, sparking backlash from various advocacy and religious groups.

Broader Implications for Faith Communities

The lawsuit is the first by a religious organization to challenge these measures, though over a dozen lawsuits have targeted other Trump immigration policies. The Quakers argue that these enforcement actions create an atmosphere of fear that hampers faith-based outreach and services.

Both the Department of Justice and DHS declined to comment on the lawsuit. Legal experts suggest this case could set a precedent for balancing immigration enforcement with religious freedom protections.

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