PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Several Quaker groups, including one in Philadelphia, are suing the Department of Homeland Security over its “abrupt shift” in immigration policies, which now permit U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to enter previously restricted areas.
“This is not just about Quakers, it’s about all religious faiths,” said Christie Duncan-Tessmer with the Philadelphia Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends.
Upon entering office for a second term, Donald Trump rescinded Biden administration-era guidelines that restricted ICE agents from entering “sensitive locations,” such as schools, churches, hospitals, weddings or funerals.
The lawsuit, filed in the federal court in Maryland, alleges this new policy violates the First Amendment, in which “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.”
Duncan-Tessmer says their worship services rely on people knowing they can praise in peace. Now, that feeling of safety has been compromised, disrupting one’s “ability to freely associate and worship,” the lawsuit claims.
“One of the things that William Penn did was establish freedom of religion,” she said. “Quakers came here escaping persecution and wanted not only to allow Quakers to be able to worship in peace but for anyone to be able to worship in their own faith.”
According to the lawsuit, many worship services have been canceled out of fear of potential invasions. In a statement, the Philadelphia Yearly Meeting group said it is committed to “continuing what we started more than 300 years ago — ensuring that people can practice their religion.”
According to the Associated Press, ICE averaged 311 arrests daily in the 2024 fiscal year, ending Sept. 30. Numbers spiked dramatically on Sunday to 956 and Monday to 1,179. On Wednesday morning, ICE’s X account reported 1,016 arrests.
The Associated Press says, if sustained, those numbers would mark the highest daily average since ICE began keeping records.
The New England, Baltimore, Adelphi and Richmond chapters of the Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends are also represented in the lawsuit.