Episcopalians are intensifying opposition to Trump’s immigration detention expansion plans across the country. Critics condemn aggressive enforcement tactics in Minneapolis and other cities, and they argue the policies undermine immigrant dignity and community trust. Supporters of expanded enforcement say the measures protect public safety and secure borders, but church leaders warn the growing detention network harms families and neighborhoods. The debate over Trump’s immigration detention expansion plans has spread from border states to small towns as federal officials seek new sites nationwide.
Virginia Bishop E. Mark Stevenson addressed the Hanover County Board of Supervisors on Jan. 28. He urged officials to reject a proposed detention facility purchase in the county. Stevenson said eight diocesan churches serve the area and warned that the facility would shift community values. “Our faith calls us to the radical and sacred work of love above all else,” he said. He argued detention promotes fear and surveillance, not care and welcome.
Local Governments Push Back on Federal Plans
In El Paso, Texas, about 200 residents signed up to oppose a new detention center. Ana Reza, chaplain for Borderland Ministries, spoke before county leaders. She said 70,000 people are detained nationwide, and over 74% face no criminal charges. “Detention centers are evil,” she said, urging officials to reject the proposal.
The Trump administration has set a goal of mass deportations, so it has expanded detention capacity. The number of sites has more than doubled to 212 in the past year. Congress authorized $45 billion to support operations, and ICE is seeking large-scale facilities in multiple states. El Paso County adopted a plan to formally oppose new centers and require public notice of federal actions.
Protests Spread From Virginia to Oklahoma
In Virginia, ICE has considered converting a warehouse into a detention site, but county leaders cited land-use concerns and opposed the plan. More than 170 residents registered to speak, and most voiced objections. Stevenson said human worth rests in dignity and relationships, not paperwork.
Protests have also erupted in New York, Indiana, Missouri, and Oklahoma because ICE continues to pursue warehouse conversions. In Chester, New York, hundreds rallied against a proposed center. Some local officials note federal law limits their authority, and an Orlando city attorney said ICE is immune from local regulation. Even so, communities have passed resolutions and moratoriums to resist Trump’s immigration detention expansion plans, while faith leaders call for moral law enforcement that protects both borders and human dignity.
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From New York to New Mexico, Episcopalians speak against new ICE detention centers
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