On January 27th, three Yearly Meetings, Philadelphia, Baltimore and New England, and two local meetings filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) over potential immigration raids at houses of worship. On January 20th, the longstanding directive that protected “sensitive locations” including schools, hospitals and houses of worship from immigration raids was rescinded by the the federal administration. The free exercise of religion is the concern. For Quakers and many other religions their religious practice includes worship or rituals that are communal in nature and without the rescinded directive, fear will deter some from entering and participating.
Democracy Forward, a non-profit legal organization, is representing Quakers in filing this lawsuit. A quite from their press release explains:
“For decades, the United States has protected sensitive locations, including houses of worship, from immigration enforcement activities, out of a concern that such activities restrain people from receiving essential services and engaging in essential activities, such as worship. Despite these longstanding protections, the Trump administration’s DHS has reversed course and now immigration enforcement operations can be conducted in protected areas like churches and religious ceremonies such as weddings and funerals limited only by DHS’s instruction that they use “common sense.” The suit alleges that presence of armed government agents at or near meeting houses is disruptive to Plaintiffs’ ability to freely associate and worship. The suit also alleges that the abrupt shift in policy violates federal law’s prohibition against agencies of the federal government acting arbitrarily and capriciously.”
The commitment and hard work of the leadership of all the parties managed to pull together the coalition of Meetings for the legal filing in what can only be called “record speed” for Quakers! The full press release can be found at democracyforward.org/updates/sensitive-locations/ and a PYM statement about this at www.pym.org/pym-involvement-in-dhs-lawsuit/
Since the lawsuit was filed, New York Yearly Meeting and a number of non-Quaker groups have joined the lawsuit. A hearing is pending.
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