The federal government sued two groups of churches in Georgia because it revoked a guideline that protected themselves from worship authorities.
Religious leaders say that their community is afraid and leave the pews empty.
In January, the Ministry of Homeland Security raised the long -held policy policy of the sensitive locations, which meant that the federal law enforcement agencies would operate in or near a house or near a house or in rare circumstances.
Even with the change, the authorities still need a signed judicial arrest warrant to make an arrest. However, the reverse politics, however, largely prevents the federal law enforcement agencies of the interpretation of ingredients in churches, synagogues and other religious institutions.
A spokesman for the DHS informed Wabe that the guideline “criminal foreigners” prevents the places of adoration as safe ports and expects operations in churches “extremely rare”.
But many beliefs, such as the Douglas Street United Methodist Church in Cartersville, felt desperate.
About three out of four people who visit the church are Latino. It is a small community that consists of young, mainly low -income families. The services are bilingual. Pastor Angela Rivers says on Sundays that there is a lot of warmth, children and food.
But now, she says, up to a quarter of her herd has stopped appearing, and almost everyone fears enforcing the immigration of the federal government.
“Even those who have a legal status, those who are legal residents who are naturalized citizens,” says Rivers.
This prompted the church to take dramatic steps in order to feel safe from the community.
“We only have one door open on the side of the church and use the main door. We have someone who monitors this within 15 minutes after the service, and then it is closed. We have a ring camera out there and we have several people who monitor this. “
In response to the change in the guidelines, the conference of the United Methodist Church, which is represented over 400 municipalities in the state, joined a federal law in Washington, DC, submitted in Washington.
Rivers said the UMC moved quickly. A little more than a week after the rule had been canceled, the lawyers contacted them to submit an explanation.
“I am only amazed at how quickly they moved on it. That doesn't usually happen in the United Methodist Church, ”she says.
The 27 plaintiffs, which include other Christian denominations and Jewish groups, argue that the move violates their rights of religion of the first change against religious freedom.
They say that the move affects their right to participate in religious services and endanger the call of their faith to serve others.
For example, a project in Douglas Street Church, which should help to feed the neighborhood, now has problems keeping volunteers on board.
“This year we founded a community garden and several people who were very excited that they feel that they feel that they do not risk working outside the church to do this. So they fell away, ”says Rivers.
Not far away, a network of churches based in Decatur submitted a similar lawsuit in Maryland, which questioned the change of rule. The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, several Quäerker -meeting houses and a Sikh temple in California joined the suit.
The CBF was born from a break with the Southern Baptist Convention over 30 years ago. It represents around 100 churches in Georgia and 1,800 churches worldwide.
Reverend Paul Baxley is the executive coordinator. He emphasizes that the unanimous decision of the board of directors to join the lawsuit was not a political act, but one of faith.
“People who go in CBF churches will definitely come from every setting and vote in every choice.”
Another factor is the growing number of members of the immigrant church that the CBF has accepted.
“Especially in the past decade we have become less white, less south and more diverse,” says Baxley.
From a theological point of view, he shows that the Scripture shows that they are called to help immigrants.
“The highest authority is Jesus, and Jesus once taught his disciples the statement” I was a stranger and they greeted me, “quotes Baxley.
In addition, the chaos, which was caused by the reversal of the sensitive locations policy, distracted pastors from doing important work in their communities.
“Our beliefs hadn't found that out, what could they have done?” He says. “What kindness could she have done? What kind of care could you have expanded? The lost opportunity is also a violation of our religious freedom. “
Last week the CBF was relieved for which it was looking for. A federal judge blocked the change change and only restored the sensitive location policy for the plaintiffs in this complaint.
The CBF leadership directs the membership churches to publish the signage on its door and identifies it as the protection of the injunction.
Now the churches have to wait for the case to be decided in court. According to Baxley, a compromise is possible.
“I have to be convinced that the sensitive location status can exist and that responsible law enforcement authorities can exist,” he says, “we shouldn't have to choose any at the other.”
In the meantime, the Methodists from North Georgia United have planned a hearing for next month.
According to Rivers, the UMC provides its churches that if federal prosecution remain calm to their door and ask a signed arrest warrant before they can occur. You and other volunteers from the church have also spent time to say goodbye to flyers in the community to inform people about their rights.
The relief cannot come early enough for rivers.
“The stress, the tension,” says Rivers, “I really don't know how we can live like that for four years.”
She has the feeling that you have no choice but to continue to combat politics, not only to protect the members of the Church, but to fulfill a religious duty.
“Not to withstand resistance means to support it,” says Rivers, “completely contradicts the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We have to speak. “
