Attorneys for a San Luis church that had paused a food ministry to low income residents as they filed a lawsuit against the city after the church was fined announced that the U.S. Department of Justice has become involved in the case.
A representative with the First Liberty Institute said the DOJ filed a statement of interest in the lawsuit filed on behalf of Gethsemani Baptist Church.
In March, First Liberty and the law firm Snell and Wilmer L.L.P. filed a complaint and a motion for preliminary injunction in the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona urging the court to stop the City of San Luis from blocking Gethsemani from distributing food to the poor.
Jose Manuel Castro, the pastor at Gethsemani church, told KAWC that he and other volunteers have distributed food for more than two decades to anyone who came to the food ministry at the church in a residential neighborhood on B Street.
The disagreement with city officials happened, Castro said, after the city reportedly received complaints from neighbors that trucks were blocking the street during food deliveries.
Castro said San Luis police officers arrived along with a city code enforcement officer and fined him. Gethsemani paused food distribution and Castro filed a lawsuit against the city, Mayor Nieves Riedel and the code enforcement officer.
Jeremy Dys, Senior Counsel at First Liberty, told KAWC he believes that Mayor Riedel and city officials are unfairly targeting the church, which he said is only following the Gospel to care for the poor.
In a released statement regarding the DOJ statement, Dys said “We are grateful that the United States Department of Justice filed a statement of interest in our case. Churches like Gethsemani Baptist who are laboring every day to care for their community should receive the support of their city. We hope the support of the law given by the United States of America motivates the City of San Luis to end their opposition to Pastor Castro and support his good work.”
Gethsemani Baptist Church has resumed its food ministry, with restrictions on how long trucks can park along B Street.
KAWC has reached out to Mayor Riedel and the City of San Luis attorney for comment. They have declined multiple requests, citing the ongoing litigation.
