Now that President Donald Trump has rescinded longstanding policy limiting U.S. immigration enforcement in churches and other sensitive locations, some church leaders are wondering what they should do if an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer comes knocking.
In the two weeks since Trump’s announcement, ICE officials have detained at least one immigrant outside a church. Wilson Rogelio Velasquez Cruz had reportedly sought asylum and had a work visa, with no criminal history. Yet the husband and father is now slated to be deported.
“When the Trump administration removed the sensitive-locations authorization, it kind of made me really start getting my gears turning wondering about, how do we ensure that our people know exactly what to do if law enforcement or a government official were to come to our building, particularly during open hours?” Rev. Minna Bothwell told Sojourners.
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