At least four states have passed legislation targeting those who disrupt church worship services after a high-profile ICE protest took place in Minneapolis amid conflict over the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement policies.
Law enforcement arrested almost 40 people in connection with the January 18 protest that interrupted a church service.
Now, Republican dominated states like Idaho, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Kansas have passed legislation that would impose tougher penalties and create protest-free buffer zones around houses of worship, The Associated Press reported.
These laws are noteworthy because they go far beyond regular statutes prohibiting trespassing. Oklahoma’s Senate Bill 743 says a first offense for deliberately disrupting a church service can result in a sentence of up to one year in county jail and a fine of up to $500. A second offense becomes a felony punishable by up to two years in prison and a $1,000 fine.
The scenes we saw this weekend in MN are un-American—straight out of another era and place.
— AAGHarmeetDhillon (@AAGDhillon) January 19, 2026
Federal law makes it illegal to disrupt worship services, and @AGPamBondi and @TheJusticeDept will ensure that justice is served. pic.twitter.com/NE678y9hjn
Supporters of these bills argue that churches, synagogues, and mosques need extra protection after the rash of shootings at places of worship.
Some have expressed concerns about civil liberties, especially with the buffer zones some of these laws have established. They insist that when these zones reach beyond the church building itself, it gives the government more power to regulate protests while violating people’s First Amendment rights.
The protest in Minneapolis kicked off when leftist agitators found out that one of the pastors in the church had ties to federal immigration enforcement. The protesters marched into the building while the service was in full session, holding signs and chanting slogans. Podcaster Don Lemon covered the protest and livestreamed it. He, and several others were arrested for participating in the protest.