Immigration Agents Not Allowed In Churches Without Warrant, Cardinal Cupich Says
By Stephen Gossett in News on Mar 1, 2017 6:39PM
Chicago Archbishop Blase Cupich / Getty Images
One day ahead of Ash Wednesday, Chicago Cardinal Blase Cupich sent a letter to priests directing them to not allow immigration agents into church premises if they do not produce a warrant.
"If they do not have a warrant and it is not a situation that someone is in imminent danger, tell them politely they cannot come on the premises, ask them for their contact information, and tell them to contact the Office of Legal Services," Cupich wrote in a letter that was distributed to Chicago priests on Tuesday. If agents from the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency present a valid warrant, church officials are still directed to contact legal counsel for the Archdiocese of Chicago after reviewing the document.
Cupich stopped short of dubbing parishes sanctuaries, in recognition of the limits of such a term. "We have not named our churches as “sanctuaries” solely because it would be irresponsible to create false hope that we can protect people from law-enforcement actions, however unjust or inhumane we may view them to be," the Cardinal wrote.
"With this letter I want to express my support as we stand together in solidarity with many of our parishioners who are deeply troubled by the recent executive orders related to immigration," Cupich also wrote. "Their trust in you and the Church is prompting them to come to you for support, spiritual guidance, and compassion."
The directive mirrors a similar one made by Chicago Public Schools a week ago. Chief Education Officer Janice Jackson sent a letter to CPS principals last Tuesday instructing them to not allow ICE officials into schools unless they have a criminal warrant. "To be very clear, CPS does not provide assistance to U.S. Immigration and Customers Enforcement (ICE) in the enforcement of federal civil immigration law," Jackson wrote.
Leticia Zamarripa, Public Affairs Officer for the Department of Homeland Security, told Chicagoist via email last week that ICE agents are still directed to follow "sensitive locations" guidelines. Places of worship, among other locations, like funerals and weddings, "should generally be avoided, and require either prior approval from an appropriate supervisory official or exigent circumstances necessitating immediate action," according to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement website.
In January, Cupich issued a statement that blasted President Donald Trump's immigration- and refugee-ban executive orders.
Cupich wrote in January:
"The world is watching as we abandon our commitments to American values. These actions give aid and comfort to those who would destroy our way of life. They lower our estimation in the eyes of the many peoples who want to know America as a defender of human rights and religious liberty, not a nation that targets religious populations and then shuts its doors on them."
Two weeks ago, President Donald Trump unveiled a plan that dramatically increases the scope of immigration-law enforcement.