Raids in the United States: the measures that churches are taking in response to ICE operations

The raids carried out by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency (ICE), in cooperation with other governmental agencies in the United States, has generated a reaction from the religious community through various measures and strategies, for the benefit of immigrants. 

Since the beginning of these operations, driven by the immigration policy of the President of the United States, Donald Trump, churches of various denominations in North American territory have taken actions such as: 

• Shelter 

• Legal counseling 

• Safe congregation spaces 

What other strategies have churches implemented in the United States in response to ICE raids? 

Through a coalition of temples and churches, some religious leaders have initially obtained various court orders to prevent raids in some places of worship. This stems from the fact that the acting secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, Benjamin Huffman, issued authorization to allow the detention of immigrants in religious sites. 

Through two directives, one that nullifies the guidelines of ICE and the Customs and Border Protection Agency (CBP), which restrict immigration laws in sensitive areas, these types of measures seek to expand the coverage areas to carry out their raids. 

A good example of this is what the Sikh and Baptist temples have achieved, as they filed a lawsuit against the current administration, leading a federal judge in Maryland, Theodore Chuang, to block raids within their places of worship. 

Churches: immigrant support centers

In addition, various church leaders in Texas have stated that within their meeting spaces they will not allow the detention and intimidation of immigrants. 

Another strategy carried out by pastors and religious leaders has been the establishment of community support networks, where informational workshops on legal rights have been held, as well as the provision of shelter spaces in case of emergency. 

Despite the series of measures implemented by various religious sites, these strategies cannot be replicated at a national level, allowing ICE and other immigration institutions to continue carrying out raids and detentions in religious sites. 

Recently, Telemundo reported that ICE agents will have a new site for their operations: courthouses. According to what was disclosed, this new measure aims to capture this type of immigrants: 

• Gang members 

• Convicted criminals 

• Those who have ignored deportation orders 

• Those who pose threats to public and national security 

As revealed, this measure also intends to interrogate or detain those who attend the courthouses to accompany a family member or friend. 

*This article has been automatically translated using artificial intelligence