In Defense of Religious Freedom

A lawsuit against the Trump Administration

In an unprecedented overreach by the Executive Branch, the Trump administration threatens to violate sacred places of worship and prevent people of faith from living out their commandments to welcome "the stranger" as instructed by our scriptures. To do so is an egregious assault on free exercise of religion in violation of both the First Amendment and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA).

Earlier this week a lawsuit was filed which brings together Christian and Jewish denominations and groups across many boundaries, marking a new chapter in the historic legacy of faith communities standing up for their scriptural obligations in defense of religious liberty and justice for the most marginalized and vulnerable.

The breadth and scope of those participating in this lawsuit shows that people of faith, from across our various traditions and even divisions, are united against the government unnecessarily and maliciously targeting houses of worship for immigration raids and detentions.

It’s not just bad policy, it’s morally reprehensible.

Under previous DHS policy, sensitive locations– schools; hospitals; rallies, marches, and protests; and religious ceremonies such as funerals, weddings, and other public religious ceremonies – along with places of worship were specifically singled out as being places that required ICE officers and agents to “exercise sound judgment when enforcing federal law… and make substantial efforts to avoid unnecessarily alarming local communities.”

There was an understanding that to enter these spaces and forcibly detain people would cause fear and trauma.

Donald Trump purports to be a Christian. And he was elected largely due to the overwhelming support he received from Christians– at least white Christians. Among his supporters are some of the most outspoken voices in favor of broad interpretations of religious freedom and the First Amendment. So where are they now?

This decision constitutes a dramatic and unnecessary infringement and a substantial burden on the religious freedom of millions of Americans without a compelling governmental interest. It’s almost as if they chose to do this in the way that most directly violates RFRA.

Houses of worship or religious communities should not be immune from laws or government oversight. But the heart of this decision is the intent to target houses of worship for the very fact that they are spaces of welcome and inclusion. As we learned in the last Trump term, “the cruelty is the point.”

And it’s already having an impact on worshiping communities around the country. I’m hearing from many pastors and heads of denominations that they are experiencing an exodus from their pews. People now no longer feel safe gathering to worship. Can you imagine?

Among the President’s most ardent supporters, the Bible and the Constitution are held up above all other documents. So let me remind Donald Trump and his supporters what the Constitution states and the Bible commands.

For all its continued shortcomings, the United States was the first country to enshrine religious freedom into its constitution– thereby guaranteeing people in the United States the freedoms of religion, speech, and assembly.

Over a year before the ratification of the Bill of Rights, President George Washington wrote to the Hebrew Congregation in Newport, Rhode Island– a correspondence that is described as Washington’s “most prominent pronouncement on religious toleration”. In it he says:

The Citizens of the United States of America have a right to applaud themselves for having given to mankind examples of an enlarged and liberal policy: a policy worthy of imitation. All possess alike liberty of conscience and immunities of citizenship It is now no more that toleration is spoken of, as if it was by the indulgence of one class of people, that another enjoyed the exercise of their inherent natural rights. For happily the Government of the United States, which gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance requires only that they who live under its protection should demean themselves as good citizens, in giving it on all occasions their effectual support.

Later in this letter Washington goes on to quote Micah 4:4 saying, “May the Children of the Stock of Abraham, who dwell in this land, continue to merit and enjoy the good will of the other Inhabitants; while every one shall sit in safety under his own vine and fig tree, and there shall be none to make him afraid.”

While Micah takes a more poetic approach, Jesus is far more stark. In one of his final teachings to the disciples in the 25th chapter of Matthew– days before he is crucified– Jesus says that in the end, all will be gathered together and separated into the righteous and the cursed.

And by what criteria will they be judged? The Bible says: “I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.”

The Greek word used here for “stranger” is xenos (from which we get xenophobia) which literally means, foreigner, immigrant, traveler.

What the Trump administration is seeking to do is both unconstitutional and antithetical to the beliefs the President and his supporters claim to hold.

It is a tragedy that it has come to this, but I take heart in the overwhelming response and courage from across faith traditions in this moment. The coming years will require us to stay vigilant and steadfast. As Paul writes in his letter to Christians in Galatia: “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

PS If you would like to support our efforts, sign and share this petition which already has thousands of signers. It will be sent to the White House, DHS, and every member of Congress.