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Indianapolis-based church joins lawsuit challenging arrests made inside houses of worship

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Indianapolis-based church joins lawsuit challenging arrests made inside houses of worship


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  • Two Indiana-based churches are challenging the Trump administration’s policy allowing arrests and raids in houses of worship
  • The Indiana churches named in the lawsuit were Disciples of Christ, based out of Indianapolis, and Mennonite Church USA, based out of Elkhart.
  • “We don’t take this step lightly, but this extreme action from the federal government challenges a foundation of our faith and threatens to shatter our consecrated spaces,” said Rev. Terri Hord Owens.

Weeks after President Donald Trump’s administration implemented a policy that allowed immigration enforcement agents to conduct arrests inside places of worship, a joint lawsuit was filed against the administration by dozens of religious and advocacy groups, including two Indiana churches.

The lawsuit, which was filed on Feb. 11, claims that the administration’s decision to allow immigration enforcement agencies to execute arrests and raids without judicial warrants inside of “sensitive locations” such as places of worship violates these groups’ rights to religious freedom and has caused a decrease in worship attendance and social services participation due to fear of immigration enforcement action.

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The Indiana churches named in the lawsuit were Disciples of Christ, based out of Indianapolis, and Mennonite Church USA, based out of Elkhart.

“We don’t take this step lightly, but this extreme action from the federal government challenges a foundation of our faith and threatens to shatter our consecrated spaces,” Rev. Terri Hord Owens, general minister and president of Disciples of Christ, said in a statement about the lawsuit.

“Our faith compels us to take a stand and protect our places of worship.”

The lawsuit claims that the administration’s decision to allow such raids has had a lasting impact on places of worship across the county and highlights the impact of an immigration arrest inside a Georgia church earlier this year.

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ICE agents had entered a Pentecostal church in Georgia in order to arrest Wilson Velásquez, a migrant from Honduras, who escaped the country with his wife and three children in 2022 and was in the process of seeking asylum in the United States.

Velásquez had entered the country illegally but immediately turned himself and his family into U.S. custody after crossing the border in order to seek asylum.

As part of the process, an immigration judge placed a GPS-tracking monitor on Velásquez’s ankle.

The lawsuit claims that Velásquez had attended all of his scheduled appointments with the immigration court, but “ICE agents arrested him anyway, explaining that they were simply “looking for people with ankle bracelets.”

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The pastor of that church claimed that after the arrest he could see “the fear and tears on (his congregation) faces.”

“We take seriously the command in Scripture to welcome the stranger (Leviticus 19:33-34 NRSV), and Jesus’ teaching that whenever we minister to one of the least of these, we are ministering to him,” Owens’ statement reads.

On Monday, in a similar lawsuit, a federal judge blocked immigration agents conducting arrests in houses of worship for a number of religious groups.

U.S. District Judge Theodore Chang believed that the Trump administration policy could be violating churches’ religious freedom and noted that arrests should be blocked until these lawsuit challenges are completed.

Contact IndyStar reporter Noe Padilla at npadilla@indystar.com, follow him on X @1NoePadilla or on Bluesky @noepadilla.bsky.social.

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Philip Rivers by the numbers: Age, passing yards, days between games, Hall of Fame, children, 44-year-old quarterbacks

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Philip Rivers by the numbers: Age, passing yards, days between games, Hall of Fame, children, 44-year-old quarterbacks


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Philip Rivers has joined the Indianapolis Colts’ practice squad in the wake of injuries to Daniel Jones, Riley Leonard and Anthony Richardson. Leonard (knee) is questionable for NFL Week 15 against the Seattle Seahawks is uncertain, while Jones (Achilles) and Richardson (eye) are out. Brett Rypien is also on the practice squad.

Here are a dozen numbers related to the new Colts quarterback.

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Philip Rivers by the numbers

  • 63,440: Career passing yards for Philip Rivers, 7th most in NFL history. The Rams’ Matthew Stafford is 277 yards behind Rivers.
  • 2026: Year Philip Rivers is eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame (he is a semifinalist). If Rivers is signed to the active roster, that clock resets. Players must be 5 years removed from being active to be considered for the Hall.
  • 1,800: Days from Jan. 9, 2021 — the last time Philip Rivers played — and Sunday, Dec. 14, when the Colts visit the Seattle Seahawks.
  • 421: Career touchdown passes for Philip Rivers, 6th most in NFL history.
  • 44: Philip Rivers’ age; he’s older than Colts coach Shane Steichen (40).
  • 23: Age of Philip Rivers’ oldest daughter, Halle.
  • 23: Age of Colts quarterback Riley Leonard.
  • 17: Philip Rivers’ NFL seasons, from 2004-20.
  • 10: Number of children Philip Rivers has.
  • 4: 44-year-olds to start at QB in the NFL — Tom Brady, Vinny Testaverde, Warren Moon, Steve DeBerg.
  • 2: Weeks removed from coaching high school football for Philip Rivers.
  • 1: Number of grandchildren Philip Rivers has.

Joel A. Erickson and Nathan Brown cover the Colts all season. Get more coverage on IndyStarTV and with the Colts Insider newsletter.



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Indianapolis City-County Council’s Vop Osili announces departure from council presidency

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Indianapolis City-County Council’s Vop Osili announces departure from council presidency


INDIANAPOLIS — The president of the Indianapolis City-County Council announced that he will not seek re-election after the end of his current term.

According to a news release, City-County Council President Vop Osili will continue to serve as the council president until the end of his term. After that, Osili shared his plans not to be considered for re-election to reprise the role. Instead, Osili will continue serving as a councilor.

Osili has served on the council since 2011 and as its president for the last eight years.

“Serving as Council President has been one of the greatest honors of my life,” Osili said. “This
decision comes after deep reflection. Stepping back from the presidency allows me to focus
my energy where it’s most needed and continue serving our city with the same commitment
that has guided my work from the beginning.”

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Vop Osili (FOX59/CBS4)

Osili represents District 12, which covers parts of downtown Indy and the near west side, including IUPUI’s campus. In addition to his role as council president, Osili also serves as the chairman of the council’s Rules & Public Policy Committee and the Community Affairs Committee.

Osili said he would have more to share about his next steps soon.

“I will have more to share soon,” Osili said. “For now, my focus remains on the day-to-day work our neighbors count on us to do.”



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A first look: Contemporary Art Museum of Indianapolis expansion set to open Spring 2026

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A first look: Contemporary Art Museum of Indianapolis expansion set to open Spring 2026


INDIANAPOLIS — Big changes are coming to the near south side of Indianapolis in the new year.

The Contemporary Art Museum of Indianapolis (CAMi) expansion is set to open May 1, 2026.

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Contemporary Art Museum of Indianapolis expansion set to open Spring 2026

The cultural campus, located in the Garfield Park and Bean Creek neighborhoods, consists of the CAMi main building, the Tube Gallery (formerly Tube Factory art space), and a public green space and art park.

“We’re looking at CAMi as art in a really broad sense. You get culinary arts, performing arts, you can a concert or a play. It’s also a space where you can have conferences,” Executive Director of Big Car Collaborative Jim Walker said.

This $7 million renovation transforms a 125-year-old former dairy barn and industrial space into a 40,000 square foot hub for art, performance, food, sound and creative enterprise.

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“When we came here in 2015, before we bought this property, half the houses were vacant. These two factories were vacant,” Walker said. “It went from this sort of forgotten, somewhat falling-down houses that were boarded up to this totally different place that’s really vibrant and definitely an anchor for the south side.”

The five-acre campus also includes 18 homes for long-term and visiting resident artists.

One of those artists, Rob Funkhouser, says Big Car has been fundamentally life-changing.

“When they started this affordable housing program, I was able to buy into a situation where, as long as I care to keep working, I know that my housing costs won’t go up,” Funkhouser said. “Being able to keep cost of living low and keep costs down allow artists to focus on their medium more often.”

Funkhouser says the CAMi expansion will further enrich the neighborhood he calls home.

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“This feels like we’re settling in and growing up a bit,” he said.

Garfield Park Neighbors Association President Rich Whitney agrees.

He’s excited for what the expansion will bring in 2026.

“The first ten years for GPNA has been about getting our footing, getting our neighbors involved, having events, connecting with the neighbors. This second phase is really gonna be about economic development, trying to pull people from Bean Creek and Garfield Park together,” Whitney said.

WRTV

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Nico Pennisi is the In Your Community reporter for Downtown Indy. He joined WRTV in October 2022. His passion has always been telling the stories of people who often get overlooked. Share your story ideas and important issues with Nico by emailing him at nico.pennisi@wrtv.com.





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