A federal judge has issued a temporary order partially pausing the Trump administration's new policy that granted wider latitude for immigration enforcement at some churches and other houses of worship. This ruling marks the first legal consideration of the policy's legality.
The order, issued by US District Judge Theodore Chuang on Monday, represents a narrow victory for the religious organizations challenging the policy in court. Chuang's ruling blocks the administration from implementing the policy at the places of worship of the religious organizations involved in the lawsuit, which include congregations of Quakers, Baptists, and Sikhs. However, the judge did not halt the policy nationwide.
Multiple cases are currently challenging the Trump policy, with Chuang being the first to provide a legal opinion on its legality. He determined that the plaintiffs are likely to succeed in their arguments that the policy violates the First Amendment and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.
As a result of Chuang's ruling, the administration must revert to the federal government's pre-Trump policy, which allowed for some immigration enforcement at churches but under more limited circumstances. In his 56-page opinion, Chuang emphasized that he was not questioning law enforcement's ability to conduct operations in or near places of worship when necessary.
He highlighted concerns about the lack of meaningful limitations or safeguards in the 2025 Policy regarding law enforcement activities in places of worship without warrants, suggesting that it may not meet constitutional and statutory requirements for the plaintiffs involved in the case.
