Two separate lawsuits in Minnesota highlight the ongoing clash between faith communities and the federal immigration crackdown. In Minneapolis, a Baptist congregation and other churches have sued the government, claiming ICE agents illegally surveilled protest activity on church property. In St. Paul, more than three dozen protesters face federal civil‑rights charges after entering a Southern Baptist church where a pastor also served as an ICE field‑office leader.
Legal claims and alleged surveillance
The Minneapolis Baptist church joined a nationwide coalition of congregations seeking a court order to reprimand the government for spying on protest‑related activity on its grounds. Court documents reveal that Homeland Security agents conducted four undercover surveillance operations at University Baptist Church, including one instance with an agent inside the church gym where a martial‑arts group trained protesters.
University Baptist Church, a member of American Baptist Churches USA and the Alliance of Baptists, previously won an injunction in February that limited immigration enforcement at member churches across the country. The plaintiffs argue that the recent surveillance violated that order and request the judge to require the agency to disclose any other houses of worship that were targeted.
Protesters charged after church disruption
In St. Paul, a Southern Baptist congregation known as Cities Church became the site of a protest during Sunday worship. More than three dozen individuals, including former CNN journalist Don Lemon, entered the sanctuary, chanting “ICE out” and “Renee Good,” referencing the woman killed by an ICE officer in January.
Federal prosecutors have charged the participants with civil‑rights violations, alleging they impeded the immigration crackdown. Defense attorneys argue the charges amount to selective or vindictive prosecution and contend that the administration’s policies have granted ICE unprecedented freedom to enter places of worship.
Faith leaders’ response
Rev. Ingrid Rasmussen of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Minneapolis said her congregation continues to display signs reading “Everyone is welcome here! Except ICE,” and she does not expect them to be removed. “We want our building to remain a sanctuary for many people,” she said.
Rev. Cody J. Sanders, interim pastor of University Baptist Church, described the surveillance as “very upsetting” but said it has strengthened the church’s commitment to advocacy. “We see the message of Jesus as compelling us to be where people are most vulnerable,” he said.
Attorney Kevin Friedl of the Democracy Forward Foundation, representing the faith groups, framed the lawsuits as a defense of sanctuary rights. “This administration wants to deny them that,” he said.
Broader context
President Donald Trump’s administration has expanded ICE authority, giving agents broader leeway to make arrests at houses of worship as part of its aggressive immigration enforcement strategy. The legal challenges in Minnesota reflect a growing national trend of religious organizations confronting federal immigration actions.
Elizabeth Reiner Platt, director of the Law, Rights and Religion Project at Union Theological Seminary, noted a “dramatic increase” in lawsuits filed by faith groups defending migrants. She described recent court victories as “promising,” though the overall litigation landscape remains contentious.
Local congregations report lingering fear among migrants, heightened security measures, and fatigue among volunteers. “The general vibe we get from leaders and congregations is just tired – there’s weariness more than anything,” said Nicholas Tangen of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America’s Minneapolis Area Synod.
Next steps
A hearing on the surveillance case was held on Sept. 4, with a ruling pending. Motions to dismiss the civil‑rights charges against the St. Paul protesters are scheduled for late October. Both cases will likely continue to shape the conversation about religious liberty, immigration enforcement, and the role of faith communities in defending vulnerable populations.
Original reporting: Alexandria, VA News – WTOP News — read the source article.
