Appeals Court Upholds Injunction Against ICE Enforcement at Specific Houses of Worship

A three-judge panel of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has unanimously upheld a lower court injunction blocking the Department of Homeland Security from conducting immigration enforcement at specific houses of worship. The ruling applies to a coalition of plaintiffs, including six Quaker meetings, a Sikh temple, and a Cooperative Baptist congregation, who challenged the 2025 reversal of a policy that previously designated such locations as "sensitive" areas.

The court determined that the plaintiffs are likely to succeed on the merits of their claim under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, noting that the government failed to demonstrate that the policy was the least restrictive means of achieving its interests. Judge Barbara Milano Keenan, writing for the panel, observed that the policy creates a substantial burden on religious exercise by discouraging immigrant members from attending services. While the administration may still appeal to the Supreme Court, the current decision maintains the injunction while the case proceeds in district court.