A coalition of organized labor and religious groups filed a lawsuit Monday that aims to block immigration enforcement at certain locations, such as churches, schools and health clinics. The lawsuit, filed in a federal court in Oregon by the Innovation Law Lab and Justice Action Center, argues the U.S. Department of Homeland Security violated First Amendment protections when agency leaders rescinded a policy this year that limited where federal immigration officers could operate. THANKS TO OUR SPONSOR: Become a Sponsor It’s the first legal action that seeks to clarify a long-standing policy about so-called “sensitive locations.” For decades, locations such as courthouses, schools, health clinics and churches have been considered areas U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement should avoid, with exceptions for urgent circumstances.
FILE – Augustana Lutheran Church in Portland, Ore., on Jan. 26, 2025. The church is one of several religious institutions suing the Trump administration over its immigration policies. Joni Land / OPB THANKS TO OUR SPONSOR: Become a Sponsor Not only has President Donald Trump pledged to ramp up deportations, his administration has also pushed legal boundaries when it comes to immigration enforcement.
Since taking office in January, Trump has authorized the used the Alien Enemies Act and arrest and remove hundreds of Venezuelans, sending them to a notorious prison in El Salvador without due process. The administration has also defied court orders to facilitate the return of a Maryland man who was mistakenly deported there. Immigration officials have also revoked international student visas — though some have since been restored — and arrested others.
The lawsuit was filed on behalf of PCUN, the largest farmworker advocacy organization in Oregon. They were joined by several faith communities across the country, including Augustana Lutheran Church in Portland, Our Lady of Guadalupe in San Diego and Westminster Presbyterian Church in Gainesville, Florida. “As a result of the administration’s new policy, sacred spaces have become sources of extreme anxiety rather than places of healing, expression, reflection, celebration, and refuge,” the lawsuit states.
According to the lawsuit, for decades federal authorities have attempted to enforce immigration laws away from certain locations. That allowed people who fear being deported to access necessities, such as medical care. “Havens like these are sacred to the human experience because they are necessary for a functioning civil society,” the lawsuit states.
“They allow people to nourish themselves spiritually, mentally, and physically so that they can thrive within, and contribute to, their communities for everyone’s mutual benefit.” Officials with the Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
