by Jorge Gomez • 3 minutes
This week, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a statement in federal court supporting our clients, Pastor Jose Castro and Gethsemani Baptist Church.
For 25 years, the church’s food ministry has helped hungry families in San Luis, Arizona. The congregation has distributed hundreds of thousands of pounds of food. In the past, about 300 families received food with every distribution. The church also donates food to other churches in surrounding cities and even across the border into Mexico.
San Luis city officials have sent multiple letters ordering Pastor Jose and the church to stop their food distribution ministry. City code enforcers have showed up unannounced to issue citations.
Because of the City and Mayor Nieves Riedel’s intimidation tactics, Gethsemani has been forced to significantly cut back, which means a lot of people are going hungry.
First Liberty filed suit in March asking a federal court to stop the city from abusing its city code and to allow the church to continue its ministry.
Similar to the arguments in our lawsuit, the DOJ’s statement points out that the city is imposing a substantial burden on the church’s food ministry and “stifling the Church’s religious mission to feed those in need.”
The City of San Luis is trying to get the case dismissed, but the DOJ urges the court to proceed. In the statement, DOJ attorneys explain that Gethsemani Baptist has a strong case under federal law, which clearly protects houses of worship from unreasonable government interference with their religious exercise.
“We are grateful that the United States Department of Justice filed a statement of interest in our case,” First Liberty Senior Counsel Jeremy Dys said. “Churches like Gethsemani Baptist who are laboring every day to care for their community should receive the support of their city. We hope the support of the law given by the United States of America motivates the City of San Luis to end their opposition to Pastor Castro.”
Churches shouldn’t be threatened or fined for feeding the hungry and caring for the most vulnerable. That betrays everything that religious freedom in America is about. The First Amendment and federal law protect the right of houses of worship to live out their faith—which most certainly includes compassionate ministries that help people in need.
What Pastor Jose and his congregation do is a labor of love. Government should support—not punish—houses of worship that do essential work for their communities.
Pastor Jose and Gethsemani Baptist are counting on your support. With your help, we can win this case. It would mean so much to the Pastor, the congregants and the hundreds of families impacted by this ministry. And by winning for this church, you’re also going to help protect religious freedom for every American, including YOU.
Please give to First Liberty today.
Learn More About This Case:
City Targets Good Samaritan for Helping Feed 300 Families
Arizona City Won’t Let This Church Feed the Hungry
Why Are Cities Punishing Good Samaritans?
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