St. Louis Archdiocese sues federal and county officials over priests' access to immigration detainees

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of St. Louis filed suit on Monday, Oct. 5, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri. The defendants are Ste. Genevieve County officials and senior officials of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Plaintiffs include Archbishop Mitchell Rozanski and the Rev. Christopher Schroeder, a priest who visits the jail. The National Catholic Reporter (NCR) said it appears to be the first time a U.S. Catholic diocese has sued ICE over pastoral access.

According to the complaint, the county jail began holding ICE detainees under contract in mid-2025 and holds about 150 at a time. Clergy may visit only during a four-hour window on Mondays and must speak with detainees by telephone through a glass partition. The archdiocese says that rules out confession, which it says must be private and in person, and Communion, which must be given directly by a priest or authorized minister. Mass is not allowed. A jail official had proposed that a wrapped host be passed to detainees by staff after consecration; the archdiocese rejects that.

The suit claims violations of:

- the First Amendment

- the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act

- the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act

- Missouri's Religious Freedom Restoration Act

It asks for clergy access on the same terms given to lawyers and consular officials.

DHS disputes the account. In an Oct. 6 statement, a spokesperson called the allegations false and said Ste. Genevieve is "a non-contact county jail, not an ICE facility." The spokesperson said detainees may practice their religions, religious items are provided on request, and DHS ensures access to Catholic priests, the Eucharist and confession when requested. "County restrictions on physical contact do not mean religious services are denied," the spokesperson said.

The archdiocese says requests for face-to-face visits made in late 2025, in May and in August were denied or went unanswered. NCR reported that clergy groups won court orders for access at ICE sites near Chicago and Minneapolis in the past year. No hearing date in the St. Louis case has been reported.