Overview
- Chicago’s Coalition for Spiritual and Public Leadership, three priests, a sister, and a lay advocate filed the federal complaint on Nov. 19.
- Plaintiffs say officials refused entry in October and early November when they sought to pray and offer Communion, citing unspecified safety and security concerns.
- The complaint alleges violations of the Free Exercise Clause, the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, and the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act.
- DHS spokesman Nate Madden said religious leaders seeking pastoral care visits should contact ICE and declined to discuss Broadview-specific policies.
- The lawsuit follows weeks of faith-led protests, prior years of clergy access at Broadview, and public appeals from Pope Leo XIV and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops to allow pastoral care.