The role of faith leaders in ministering to detained migrants across the United States has grown increasingly complex and contentious amid a surge in immigration enforcement and detention under the federal government’s intensified crackdown. As detention numbers swell to historically high levels, religious groups and clergy are advocating for greater access to detention centers to provide spiritual care, particularly during significant religious observances such as Lent and Ramadan. However, their efforts have often met with resistance from immigration authorities, leading to legal battles and ongoing negotiations to ensure detainees receive not only religious support but also human dignity during their confinement.
Clergy members across the country have long played a vital role in ministering to immigrants held in detention centers, offering counseling, prayers, and religious services that many detainees depend on in a system that can otherwise feel dehumanizing and isolating. Recently, this ministry has taken on heightened importance as the number of people detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has nearly doubled since the beginning of President Donald Trump’s second term—from roughly 40,000 to about 75,000 individuals at any given time. These detainees are spread across more than 225 facilities nationwide, ranging from large detention centers like Camp East Montana in El Paso, Texas, which holds around 3,000 people daily, to smaller local holding sites.
Despite the administration’s portrayal of its immigration enforcement efforts as focused on removing dangerous criminals, data suggests that the proportion of detainees with criminal histories has actually declined. Meanwhile, the growing population of detainees has placed increased scrutiny on the conditions within detention centers, with members of Congress and advocacy groups raising concerns about inadequate living conditions and limited access to legal representation. Amid this climate of heightened enforcement and criticism, the question of religious access has become a flashpoint for broader debates about human rights and religious freedom within the immigration system.
ICE facilities that hold detainees for more than 72 hours are required by policy to have chaplains or religious services coordinators, as well as designated spaces for worship and spiritual activities. The agency states that clergy and faith volunteers must undergo advance notice and background checks before they can provide pastoral visits, counseling, and religious services. Yet, in practice, faith leaders report inconsistent and often restricted access to detainees, prompting legal challenges in several states.
Two recent lawsuits highlight the contentious nature of clergy access to detention centers. In Illinois, a Catholic coalition sued after faith leaders were barred from visiting the Broadview ICE detention center near Chicago on several occasions starting last fall—a sharp departure from previous practice. A nun affiliated with the coalition had been regularly conducting weekly prayer sessions at Broadview for over a decade before the restrictions began. The lawsuit argued that the government’s denial of access violated religious freedom protections. Following a judge’s order, clergy were permitted to conduct an Ash Wednesday service with four newly detained migrants, marking an important legal and symbolic victory. The Rev. David Inczauskis, a Jesuit priest involved in the case, described the ruling as a significant step toward “migrant justice” and expressed hope that regular visits, prayer services, and the delivery of religious items like rosaries and Bibles could be arranged moving forward. Interestingly, some ICE agents also requested to receive ashes during the Ash Wednesday service, underscoring the potential mutual benefits of such spiritual outreach.
Similarly, in Minnesota, the Rev. Chris Collins, another Jesuit priest, filed suit after being “categorically denied” entry to a federal facility on the outskirts of Minneapolis during an enforcement surge. The building had become a focal point for daily protests, and Collins, along with local branches of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the United Church of Christ, challenged the government’s refusal to allow pastoral visits. Both lawsuits underscore how restrictions on religious access not only impact detainees’ spiritual well-being but also raise serious constitutional questions about religious freedom.
Despite these challenges, many faith-based organizations and individual volunteers remain committed to providing pastoral care inside detention centers. The Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS), a nonprofit affiliated with the Jesuit order, has held a contract with the Department of Homeland Security for approximately 15 years to provide in-house chaplains at several centers across the country. These range from locations near the Canadian border in New York to the controversial Guantanamo Bay detention facility in Cuba. Bridget Cusick, a spokesperson for JRS, noted that the agency’s role is critical in supporting detainees during their confinement.
Individual volunteers also play a crucial role. Simran