A federal appeals court on Aug. 18 denied a government attempt to remove an injunction that has been blocking immigration officers from arresting illegal immigrants at some houses of worship.
Judges on a U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit panel upheld a 2025 ruling from a federal judge based in Maryland finding that the churches had presented sufficient evidence to show that absent the injunction, the places of worship would experience reduced attendance.
“This decision reaffirms a fundamental promise of religious liberty: every person should be able to gather, worship, pray, and serve their community without fear that immigration enforcement will unlawfully disrupt sacred spaces,” Philadelphia Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends and other plaintiffs said in a joint statement….