U.S. District Judge Theodore David Chuang on Monday issued a preliminary injunction that keeps Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from going into churches to arrest illegal immigrants.
"Violations of this preliminary injunction shall subject Defendants and all other persons bound by this Order to all applicable penalties, including contempt of court," he wrote.
The order only protects the six Quaker churches, the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, and the Sikh temple that filed the lawsuit, and only until the court has a chance to hear the case.
Brad Dacus of the Pacific Justice Institute says the judge got it right.
"Does the government have a compelling state interest to protect our borders, to protect us from people violating the law? Absolutely," he submits. "Do they have a compelling state interest to go into churches? Probably not."
Daniel Schmid of Liberty Counsel, however, believes the judge got it wrong.
"The government, which is supposed to wield the sword of good and truth and justice, has the ability and the right to pursue lawbreakers into even a church sanctuary," he asserts.
If a church breaks the law and harbors illegals, who by definition are criminals, then the church should pay the price.
"If you decide that you are going to facilitate and even help or assist and aid and vet those who are breaking the law, then you're subject to the actions of the government to correct that lawbreaking," Schmid reasons.
Judge Chuang's decision restores a Biden-era memo that prohibited immigration arrests at places like churches and schools.
USA Today calls it "another setback" for one of President Donald Trump's top priorities to strengthen immigration enforcement and conduct mass deportations of migrants who are in the country without legal authorization.
