FAQs on Religious Liberty & Immigration
In his first week in office, President Donald Trump withdrew a policy known as the “sensitive locations memo,” which had previously limited immigration enforcement in certain locations, including houses of worship and religious ceremonies.
The Law, Rights, and Religion Project (LRRP) immediately heard from faith communities concerned that their congregations could be vulnerable to surveillance, harassment, and prosecution by immigration enforcement agents. Faith-based organizations asked us how religious liberty laws like the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) could protect their right to gather for worship without government interference.
In response, LRRP created this FAQ to explain whether and how RFRA might apply to protect people and communities of faith from immigration-related surveillance and enforcement.
For more on immigration and religious liberty, check out Whose Faith Matters.