Chicago – February 25, 2025
A federal judge on Monday temporarily blocked Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents from entering churches or targeting migrants nearby, a change in policy that religious groups fought as a violation of longstanding federal policy not to conduct enforcement actions in places of worship.
U.S. District Judge Theodore Chuang in Maryland ordered the Department of Homeland Security and its subdivision, ICE, not to conduct immigration enforcement actions “in or near any place of worship” associated with the case brought by Quakers, Baptists and Sikhs.
“Violations of this preliminary injunction shall subject Defendants and all other persons bound by this Order to all applicable penalties, including contempt of court,” Chuang wrote.
His order doesn’t apply to arrests authorized by an administrative or judicial warrant.
