'Every church should be doing this': A sanctuary church refuses to close its doors to migrants [View all]

Source: Scripps News

Posted 3:03 PM, Mar 21, 2025 and last updated 3:22 PM, Mar 21, 2025


There is a sign posted on the front doors of St. Paul and St. Andrew Methodist Church in New York City. It reads: "ICE and Homeland Security is not permitted." "We consider churches still to be sensitive locations," Pastor K Karpen told Scripps News. "Whatever the changes in the government policy might or might not be, to us, these are sensitive locations."

After the current Trump administration rescinded a long-standing policy limiting Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrests near churches, schools and hospitals, faith communities were left grappling with what to do when officers come knocking. "We were afraid when they first issued the change in the rulings about churches and hospitals and schools and libraries. We were afraid that people would be scared to come here," Karpen said about the revoked sensitive locations guidance.

The policy change came as part of the Trump administration's ongoing crackdown on illegal immigration. "Criminals will no longer be able to hide in America's schools and churches to avoid arrest," a statement from the Department of Homeland Security reads.

The administration has zeroed in on so-called sanctuary cities like New York, Chicago and Boston. While there is no legal or strict definition for sanctuary cities, the term denotes a sanctuary jurisdiction where cooperation with federal immigration enforcement is restricted. Mayors of these cities, while testifying during a House hearing earlier this month, said sanctuary policies ensure undocumented immigrants who are victims or witnesses of a crime can come forward.

Read more: https://www.scrippsnews.com/politics/immigration/every-church-should-be-doing-this-a-sanctuary-church-refuses-to-close-its-doors-to-migrants