A federal judge on Friday, April 11, denied a lawsuit by religious groups challenging the Trump administration’s decision to drop a Biden-era policy barring immigration enforcement on church property.
President Donald Trump rescinded the “sensitive locations” policy on his first day in office, paving the way for the Department of Homeland Security to apprehend illegals in or near places of worship. The 27 religious groups led by the Mennonite Church USA argued the policy violated religious freedom and the First Amendment.
In her opinion, U.S. District Judge Dabney Friedrich said the groups did not establish standing and denied their request for a preliminary injunction to halt the Trump administration’s move to rescind the policy.
“At least at this juncture and on this record, the plaintiffs have not made the requisite showing of a ‘credible threat’ of enforcement,” Friedrich wrote, adding “Nor does the present record show that places of worship are being singled out as special targets.”
Kelsi Corkran, lead counsel representing the groups, told the Associated Press: “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.”
The ruling comes as the Trump administration has ramped up immigration enforcement efforts across the country since taking office for a second term.
Encounters at the U.S. border have plummeted, according to DHS, from an average of 4,488 per day in March 2024 under the Biden administration to an average of 264 a day last month.
