Two federal law enforcement officers coordinate with other officials on the ground during an enhanced immigration enforcement operation (Credit: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement)
A federal judge on Monday blocked the Trump Administration from conducting ICE raids at some places of worship.
US District Judge Theodore Chuang, an Obama appointee, blocked ICE raids on the churches, which filed a lawsuit against the Trump Administration.
ICE can still conduct raids at churches and places of worship that are not involved in the lawsuit.
Politico reported:
A federal judge in Maryland has blocked the Trump administration from conducting immigration enforcement actions — like raids and arrests — at a handful of churches, temples and other places of worship that sued over the new policy.
Unlike some of the nationwide restraining orders judges have issued against Trump administration policies in recent weeks, the order issued Monday by U.S. District Judge Theodore Chuang applies only to the facilities used by a handful of Quaker, Baptist and Sikh denominations and congregations that sued last month.
The Trump administration removed limits the Biden administration had imposed on enforcement at “sensitive” sites such as churches, schools and hospitals. Chuang, an appointee of President Barack Obama, said in a 59-page opinion that the removal of those limits threatened the religious freedom of the groups seeking relief from the court.
“The substantial burden that the [Trump administration] policy is far from speculative and is already occurring,” wrote Chuang, who noted reports that congregations with large immigrant populations have drawn fewer attendees since the Trump directive was issued last month. “It is reasonable to expect that such enforcement actions will occur at Plaintiffs’ place of worship where DHS specifically stated in its press release announcing the 2025 policy that ‘criminals will no longer be able to hide in America’s schools and churches to avoid arrest.’”
Last week Acting ICE Director Caleb Vitello was removed from his position amid reports President Trump is unhappy with the pace of deportations.
Earlier this month it was reported that President Trump and border czar Tom Homan were reportedly unhappy with the current number of deportations.
According to a report by NBC, Trump and Homan were disappointed with the pace of deportations so far and demanded that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) ramp up their operations.
Caleb Vitello was reassigned to oversee all field and enforcement operations.
Reuters reported that the Trump Administration has deported nearly 40,000 illegal aliens since Inauguration Day.
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