Migrant Court Support: Faith Leaders Witness Hearings
Discover how faith leaders are providing crucial support to immigrants facing deportation hearings. Across California, clergy members offer vital moral support and guidance, acting as witnesses and advocates within the complex immigration court system.These faith leaders are actively monitoring courtrooms, striving to protect vulnerable individuals and offer comfort during challenging times. They provide information and, in some cases, directly assist immigrants who may be navigating the legal process without portrayal; the presence of these faith leaders underscores the importance of compassion and human rights as highlighted in News Directory 3. Learn about their efforts to help those facing an uncertain future. Discover what’s next …
Faith Leaders Offer Support to Immigrants at Court Hearings
Updated July 02, 2025
Across California, faith leaders are increasingly present at immigration courts, offering solace and support to immigrants facing deportation hearings. These clergy members, representing various religions, gather in courtrooms in cities including Orange County, Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Diego. Their presence aims to provide comfort and a sense of moral authority during what can be a frightening process.
The effort began after reports surfaced that immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents were detaining asylum seekers after routine court appearances. Rev. Jason Cook, a minister at Tapestry, a Unitarian Universalist congregation, is among those regularly attending the hearings. Cook and others seek to act as a “conscience on display,” hoping to prompt reflection on the treatment of migrants.
Members of the Orange County Catholic Worker community offer a silent prayer of consolation and justice for migrants who would appear in immigration court that day.
(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
In addition to offering silent prayers, the clergy members monitor the courtrooms for ICE agents. The presence of plainclothes agents outside a courtroom frequently enough signals that migrants inside are at risk of expedited removal after their hearings. Rev. Terry LePage, a community minister in Orange County, distributes flyers informing migrants of their rights and warning them about the presence of ICE agents.
Dave Gibbons, founder of Newsong Church in Santa Ana, said he briefly stopped attending the hearings after witnessing a couple he was escorting being detained in front of their child. despite the emotional toll, Gibbons said he is determined to continue supporting marginalized individuals, viewing it as central to his faith.
During one recent hearing, clergy members assisted a haitian man with temporary protected status who arrived without an attorney. Despite their advice, the man was confident he would return home. However, after the Department of Homeland Security successfully argued for his case’s dismissal, the man was detained by federal agents as he left the courtroom.
Thomas Crisp, an Orange County chaplain who witnessed the event, offered the man a parting blessing.
What’s next
Faith leaders plan to continue their presence at immigration courts, providing ongoing support and advocacy for immigrants navigating the legal system.