Full Breakdown
Archdiocese of St. Louis Lawsuit Challenges Detention Center’s No-Contact Policy
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event
In early October, the Archdiocese of St. Louis filed a federal suit in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri. The complaint alleges that the Ste. Genevieve County Detention Center’s no-contact visitation rules violate the First Amendment’s free-exercise clause, the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act, and the Missouri Religious Freedom Restoration Act. The archdiocese says the policy prevents Catholic priests from hearing confessions, offering communion, and celebrating Mass for immigration detainees housed at the facility.
Background & Context
Ste. Genevieve County Detention Center contracts with ICE to house immigration detainees. The center holds roughly 150 detainees at any given time and about 3,000 since the contract began in mid-2025. Visitation is limited to a single four-hour window each week, with 30-minute blocks allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. All visits occur behind a plexiglass barrier, with communication limited to a telephone system; physical contact is prohibited.
Key Figures & Groups
- Archbishop Mitchell Rozanski – plaintiff.
- Father Christopher Schroeder – co-plaintiff.
- Sheriff Gary Stolzer – named in the complaint.
- Chief Deputy Jason Schott – oversees jail operations.
- Lt. Andrew Johnson – jail administrator.
- Markwayne Mullin – DHS Secretary, defendant.
- David J. Venturella – Acting ICE Director, defendant.
- Kevin Appleby – senior fellow, Center for Migration Studies.
- John Inazu – professor, Washington University.
Data & Statistics
- Approximate detainee population: ~150.
- Cumulative detainees since mid-2025: ~3,000.
- Visitation schedule: one four-hour window per week, divided into 30-minute blocks.
- Contact method: plexiglass barrier and monitored telephone.
Official Statements & Responses
- DHS (Oct. 6) called the allegations “FALSE,” asserting detainees have access to priests, the Eucharist, and the Sacrament of Penance, and that the facility is a non-contact county jail, not an ICE facility.
- Ste. Genevieve County Jail spokesperson said the office has not yet received the lawsuit paperwork and will forward it to legal counsel.
- Chief Deputy Jason Schott wrote that priests may hand a wrapped wafer to jail staff for delivery, but direct contact is prohibited to prevent contraband.
Criticism & Opposition
- Kevin Appleby argues that denying pastoral access infringes on detainees’ dignity and that DHS could simply issue a directive to allow clergy full access.
- John Inazu (St. Louis Public Radio) says the law requires accommodations for substantial burdens on religious exercise, even when inconvenient, and that cost concerns should not override constitutional rights.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- The archdiocese maintains the policy blocks essential sacraments; DHS asserts detainees are fully accommodated.
- Attorneys and consular officials receive visitation exemptions, which the lawsuit cites as unequal treatment.
- No independent verification has been provided regarding how many detainees have actually received sacraments under the current system.
Why It Matters
The case tests how federal religious-freedom statutes apply to ICE-contracted detention facilities. A ruling could set precedent for the extent to which such centers must modify security protocols to accommodate clergy, potentially affecting detainees nationwide.
What’s Next
The lawsuit seeks a court order declaring the visitation policy unconstitutional, an injunction halting its enforcement, and a directive preventing ICE from sending additional detainees to the center until religious accommodations are provided. The court’s hearing schedule has not been disclosed.