ALBUQUERQUE, NM — A Roman Catholic Church diocese for Albuquerque and much of New Mexico is advising its workers to ask for a search warrant if federal immigration officers enter church property.
The Albuquerque Journal https://goo.gl/UenG8i reports that the Archdiocese of Santa Fe sent employees a memo saying when church personnel must admit Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials and when they can deny entry.
It also provides guidance on calling the archdiocese attorney and what employees can say to demand that agents leave the premises.
According to the memo, it was written in response to rumors of ICE raids of churches, schools and other locations.
However, Archdiocese Chancellor Tom Macken says he doesn’t know of any actual ICE raids at church properties.
Las Cruces and Gallup dioceses oversee parts of New Mexico.
Catholic churches across the United States have bee trying to decide upon the best course of action in protecting their parishioners who may fall into the hands of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, ICE. In Albuquerque, for example, employees of the diocese have been given specific instructions on what to do in a raid.
Last month, Bishop Kevin Vann of the Diocese of Orange in California sent a similar letter. These are not the only instances.
Crux staff contributed to this report
