In February of 2026, multiple sources reported that Catholic clergy had accessed ICE detainees and given them ashes. This came after a ruling by a federal judge that forced the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to allow this religious ceremony to take place. The incident marks a notable clash between religion and politics, something that has become increasingly common in modern America.
District Judge Gives Detainees the Right to Practice Lent
On the eve of Lent in February of 2026, U.S. District Judge Robert W. Gettleman ordered the DHS to provide detainees in a Chicago ICE facility with access to Catholic clergy. In his preliminary ruling, the judge stated that this was necessary to allow the detainees to receive ashes and Holy Communion.
This decision came after months of legal battles and campaigning, largely carried out by the Coalition for Spiritual and Public Leadership (CSPL). This nonprofit Catholic and Christian organization had been trying to access the detainees in Chicago with little success. Zenit reported that the group had previously been able to access the detainees, but ICE subsequently shut them out.
During Lent, the planned religious ceremony went ahead as planned. Four detainees at the ICE facility met with two priests and a religious sister at about 3:00 PM. The detainees then received the ashes and took Communion without any issue. All of these individuals had been detained earlier in the day, and their ability to participate in this religious ceremony may have provided them with a sense of hope.
One priest noted that some of the detainees were crying, while others were simply confused about their situations. This father went on to say:
“The most important thing that happened today is that we were given the right to accompany people and provide them their religious rights. Everyone has the right to receive the visit of your pastor or spiritual adviser, whatever your religion may be. For immigrants especially, I know how important the Lord is. Today we represented their community.”
Three guards at the ICE facility also received the ashes, and for a moment, it must have seemed as though religion brought all of these people together. However, reality probably set in relatively quickly as these detainees face the next stage of their journey through the immigration system.
CSPL Uses Interesting Strategy to Ensure Access to Religious Services
CSPL did not attempt to argue that the detainees’ rights had been violated. Instead, the organization focused on the rights of the Christian ministers who sought to provide these rights. The argument was essentially that if the federal government prevented the priests from accessing the detainees, this would constitute a First Amendment violation. The CSPL also argued that preventing access to the detainees would violate the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act of 2000.
Ultimately, this strategy proved successful, and it may have widespread implications around the country. Other ICE facilities may also be forced to provide detainees with access to similar religious services.