Faith Leaders Denounce DHS Surveillance of Minneapolis Churches Following Immigration Crackdown Religious leaders in the Twin Cities are challenging the Department of Homeland Security in federal court after revelations that undercover agents surveilled houses of worship during Operation Metro Surge. In a climate of intense fear and societal tension, the community in Minneapolis, Minnesota, has seen houses of worship transform into critical sanctuaries for those fleeing government aggression. At the Dios Habla Hoy church, volunteers and local residents have spent countless hours preparing food packages for immigrants, turning the religious center into a hub of resistance and support. Pastor Sergio Amezcua initiated this vital food aid program in early December 2025 to provide a lifeline for undocumented migrants who were terrified to visit grocery stores or public markets, fearing that immigration agents were lying in wait to conduct raids.This atmosphere of dread was the direct result of Operation Metro Surge, a violent immigration crackdown spearheaded by President Donald Trump, which left the local immigrant population in a state of constant anxiety. Recent legal revelations have cast a sinister light on the tactics used by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) during and after this operation.A federal court motion filed on August 13 disclosed that DHS agents conducted extensive surveillance of various churches across the Twin Cities, as well as schools, libraries, and local restaurants. This surveillance campaign began in December 2025 and continued well into the spring of 2026. Most disturbingly, the operation involved sending undercover agents directly into the sanctuaries of the University Baptist Church and the Prince of Peace Church in Minneapolis.These agents did not enter for spiritual guidance, but to record private meetings and compile detailed lists of every person who attended, effectively turning sacred spaces into intelligence-gathering hubs. This operation eventually culminated in the prosecution of the Minnesota 15, a group of activists who were charged with federal conspiracy for organizing peaceful protests against the deportation campaigns. Faith leaders have responded to these revelations with profound indignation and alarm.Reverend Cody J. Sanders, the interim pastor at University Baptist Church, expressed that it is deeply disturbing for churches to become targets of government surveillance, especially when these institutions are simply caring for their neighbors and working toward justice. Sanders noted that intimidation and fear tactics became the norm during the ICE occupation of the Twin Cities, and he described the act of spying within a church as a violation of the sacredness of the space.The community is now looking toward a federal court hearing scheduled for September 4, which will determine if the DHS violated a specific injunction issued in February. This injunction was designed to protect houses of worship nationwide, forbidding agencies like ICE and Customs and Border Protection from conducting arrests, interrogations, or investigations on these properties. Beyond the legal technicalities, the surveillance has compounded the deep trauma already inflicted by the violence of Operation Metro Surge.The crackdown was marked by extreme brutality, resulting in the deaths of protesters Renee Good and Alex Pretti. Reverend Susie Hayward characterized the operation as a violent paramilitary occupation and stated that learning federal agents entered holy spaces against the will of the congregation has only added to the community's suffering. The sense of betrayal is palpable, as spaces meant for healing and love were used by the state to track and target vulnerable individuals.The faith community argues that this is not just a legal breach, but a moral failure of the government to respect the boundary between state power and spiritual autonomy. Minister JaNaé Bates Imari has warned that such surveillance creates a chilling effect that ripples through the entire community.When people fear that their attendance at a church or their participation in a prayer circle will end up in a federal file, they are effectively intimidated out of exercising their basic constitutional rights to assembly and religious practice. She asserted that the church does not exist by the permission of the government and should never be a place where people wonder if standing with their neighbors will lead to prosecution.Reverend Sanders added a poignant reminder that this surveillance is not a new phenomenon for all, noting that Muslim communities have long suffered from similar pervasive monitoring. As the legal battle continues, religious leaders across Minnesota and the United States are watching closely to see if the judiciary will uphold the protections of religious freedom or allow the state to continue its intrusion into the sanctuary