Trump administration could face contempt after ICE spied on churchgoers

WorldPolitics
25 Aug 2026 • 2:10 AM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

Trump administration could face contempt after ICE spied on churchgoers

  • A federal judge will hold a hearing to decide if Donald Trump's administration should be held in contempt for violating a court order barring federal agents from entering places of worship.
  • Court filings revealed that undercover ICE agents spied on churchgoers and secretly recorded an activity inside a Minneapolis church gymnasium under “Operation Puppet Master."
  • The surveillance scheme also involved federal agents photographing attendees on multiple Sundays and conducting license plate checks near the church.
  • The Department of Homeland Security argued the operation did not violate the injunction because it focused on domestic terrorism rather than immigration enforcement.
  • Attorneys for several faith groups countered that entering the church and monitoring worshippers constitute clear and egregious violations of sacred sanctuary and the court order.

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