SANTA BARBARA — Friends General Conference (FGC), a national Quaker organization, joined multiple religious organizations in challenging the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) reversal of the sensitive locations policy, which previously limited immigration enforcement actions at places of worship. The Santa Barbara Friends Meeting (SBFM) as an affiliate of FGC, joined this legal challenge.
We are an unprogrammed meeting of Quakers and we reaffirm that our house of worship serves as a sanctuary for all. The belief that God is within every person has powerful ramifications.
For over 30 years, the DHS has limited immigration enforcement at places of worship. This “sensitive locations” policy required prior approval or urgent circumstances for actions by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP). On January 20, 2025, DHS rescinded this policy. The new directive allows ICE and CBP officers to use their discretion in deciding whether to conduct enforcement actions at places of worship and other sensitive locations. DHS stated that the change gives ICE agents more flexibility in targeting undocumented immigrants.
Plaintiffs include 12 national, 4 regional denominational bodies, and 11 associations related to Jewish and Christian faiths. These groups, from denominations like Baptist, Brethren, Jewish (Conservative, Reconstructionist, Reform), Episcopalian, Evangelical, Mennonite, Quaker, Pentecostal, Presbyterian, Unitarian Universalist, United Methodist, and Zion Methodist, believe in dignity, care, and respect for all people, regardless of birthplace. Welcoming immigrants is key to their religious practices.
Under current policy, congregations face imminent risks of enforcement actions during worship and social services, which would disrupt religious practices and outreach efforts. We oppose this rescission as it violates the rights of houses of worship under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act and the First Amendment, as it substantially burdens our religious exercise.
Communal gatherings for worship and outreach are crucial to the well-being of individuals and their communities. The Santa Barbara Quaker Meetinghouse must be a safe space for all who enter, free of any outside threats.
To learn more about this legal action, please see these links: https://www.fgcquaker.org/2025/02/13/friends-general-conference-joins-new-lawsuit/
Santa Barbara Friends Meeting website: https://www.sbfriends.org/