Religious organizations file lawsuit to protect ‘safe havens' from ICE raids
Twenty-five religious countries across the nation are suing the Department of Homeland Security, ICE and others.
Those filing the lawsuit include two Charlotte churches: The African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church and the Western North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church.
The federal lawsuit is asking a judge to step in to protect places of worship from ICE. It asks the judge to halt new ICE procedures that allow agents into churches, schools, hospitals and other 'safe havens.'
'Places of worship are places where ICE should not be able to conduct enforcement actions without a judicial warrant,' said Aimee Yeager, a representative with the Western North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church.
She said that her church has already seen a decrease in attendance since the implementation of the new policies.
'Because of that it put our churches at imminent risk of ICE coming in to do raids and arrests,' Yeager said.
READ: Atrium Health staff gets warning to stay out of ICE's way
The lawsuit comes at the same time as state Democrats file two bills in Raleigh to fight ICE raids in 'safe havens.'
The bills would 'prohibit law enforcement agencies and officers from participating in immigration enforcement in places of religious worship, elementary and secondary schools, and hospitals' as well as 'on farmland and construction sites.'
Republicans have the majority in both chambers in Raleigh, making it unlikely that the bill will pass.
WATCH: Atrium Health staff gets warning to stay out of ICE's way
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