On February 24, 2025, a federal judge in Maryland blocked the Trump administration from conducting immigration enforcement actions at certain places of worship for religious practitioners who filed a lawsuit challenging the reversal of an Obama-era policy that protected these locations. U.S. District Judge Theodore Chuang issued a preliminary injunction, ruling that the Trump administration’s policy allowing for arrests in places of worship, likely violates the First Amendment and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.
The judge found that the policy’s threat of enforcement had already led to reduced attendance at worship services, including among both undocumented immigrants and legal residents, hindering the groups’ ability to practice their faith freely. He ordered the reinstatement of a 2021 policy that barred immigration enforcement at sensitive locations, including places of worship.
The ruling does not prevent enforcement actions when authorized by a warrant. The Trump administration had revoked the Obama-era policy in favor of a more flexible approach, stating that enforcement should not be restricted at such locations. The legal team at Prime Path Immigration Law Firm Limited USA is monitoring the situation for further developments.
References:
Quinn, Melissa. “Judge blocks immigration arrests at some places of worship” CBS News. February 24, 2025.
Kunzelman, Michael. Whitehurst, Lindsay. “Judge blocks Trump immigration policy allowing arrests in churches for some religious groups” The Associated Press. February 24, 2025.
