Trump's immigration policy faces lawsuit from faith groups
A lawsuit against Trump's immigration policy, which increases the scope for arrests in places of worship, was filed on Tuesday in court by religious groups representing millions of Americans. In this way, members of Christian and Jewish communities expressed their discontent.
Several religious groups in the USA, representing millions of believers, filed a lawsuit against Donald Trump's administration. According to the Associated Press, the decision to expand the authority of immigration agents to make arrests in places of worship has prompted opposition.
Among the plaintiffs are, among others, the Episcopal Church, Union for Reform Judaism, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), and the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, as well as Mennonites and Presbyterians. The lawsuit emphasised that the new policy results in decreased attendance at worship services, thereby violating religious freedom. "We have immigrants, refugees, people who are documented and undocumented," said Sean Rowe from the Episcopal Church.
Faithful fear raids in places of prayer
The lawsuit is against the Department of Homeland Security and its agencies. "People fear going to the store, they are avoiding going to church," said Kelsi Corkran, an attorney from the Institute for Constitutional Advocacy at the Law Center at Georgetown University, who is the lead counsel for the plaintiffs. She explained that before Donald Trump's presidency, agents needed special authorisation to operate in places of worship.
Now they can act everywhere, which raises concerns. "People are afraid to go to the shop, they avoid going to church," said Pastor Carlos Malave from the Latino Christian National Network.
Pastor Malave emphasised that there is a deeply rooted fear and distrust towards the government. Churches are increasingly offering online services to protect their congregants. "People fear for the well-being of their families," he added.
The lawsuit is a response to incidents such as the arrest of a man from Honduras outside a church in Atlanta. These events illustrate how the new regulations affect the lives of religious communities in the USA.
