ELCA Minneapolis Area Synod Sues DHS Over Access to Immigrant Detainees
By Jack Jenkins - Posted at MinistryWatch:
Published February 24, 2026
The lawsuit alleges that preventing clergy from entering the facility to offer pastoral care to migrants infringes on their religious freedom.(RNS) — A group of religious organizations and faith leaders in Minnesota has filed a lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security, alleging the agency is violating their religious freedom by denying them access to immigrant detainees at a local federal building.
Federal immigration officers confront protesters outside Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building, Jan. 15, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo by RNS/Adam Gray)
The lawsuit was filed Monday, Feb. 23, by the Minneapolis Area Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the Minnesota Conference of the United Church of Christ and the Rev. Christopher Collins, a Jesuit priest. It alleges the government’s refusal to allow faith leaders access to the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building, which houses the local offices of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, is a violation of their rights under the First Amendment and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.
“Pastoral care is the heart and soul of what our Pastors and Deacons are called to provide in their congregations and around the community. We walk together, listening, praying, guiding, and offering the peace and presence of Jesus Christ,” Bishop Jen Nagel, of the ELCA’s Minneapolis Area Synod, said in a statement. “This is particularly important during times of stress, grief, isolation, and transition.”
