Rabbis, reverends, priests and other speak at a podium outside the U.S. Courthouse in downtown LA calling on First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bilal Essayli to resign. (Spectrum News/Jo Kwon)

Sacred Resister and Episcopal Priest Rev. Tom Carey from Epiphany in Lincoln Heights and St. Athanasius in Echo Park at our action today. 

Clergy leaders from multiple faiths are calling for the resignation of Bill Essayli, who has been leading the federal prosecutor’s office in LA. They say he has a record of targeting immigrant communities, violating houses of worship and bringing prosecutions disproportionately aimed at people of color.

California Clergymembers Call for First Assistant U.S. Attorney, Bilal A. Essayli to Resign

March 21, 2026

Bilal A. Essayli

First Assistant U.S. Attorney Central District of California

312 N. Spring Street Los Angeles, CA 90012

Dear Mr. Essayli:

We, the undersigned clergy, representing several different faith traditions are deeply

troubled by reports of actions taken by you as Interim (later, Acting) U.S. Attorney for the

Central District of California, which on their face appear to be improper.

All our religious and spiritual traditions teach the importance of welcoming the immigrant

and the asylum seeker. In the Jewish tradition, Abraham is pictured as pitching his tent at

the crossroads, open to all four directions so that wanderers and wayfarers might not pass

him by. (Maimonides Laws of Mourning 14:3) When God appeared to Abraham and, at the

same time, three wanderers appeared on the road, Abraham left God's side so that he and

Sarah could attend to the needs of those strangers. (Genesis 18:2)

The Christian tradition, heavily informed by the call of welcome in the Torah and the

Prophets, speaks of not neglecting to “show hospitality to strangers” and to remember

those who are in prison and being tortured “as though you yourselves were being

tortured.” (Hebrews 13:1-3) It calls for acts of love and solidarity with the “least of these

among us.” (Matthew 25:40)

The Qur'an (5:8) says: “O you who believe! Stand firmly for God as witnesses in justice. Do

not let the hatred of a people cause you to be unjust. Be just—that is closer to

righteousness. And be mindful of God; surely God is aware of what you do.” And

furthermore: “O you who believe! Stand firmly for justice as witnesses for God, even if it is

against yourselves, or parents and relatives. Whether one is rich or poor, God is more

worthy of both. So do not follow desire, lest you deviate from justice.” (4:135)

The oldest Buddhist texts advise us to care for others—all others—as a mother cares for

her only child. We are admonished to cherish and cultivate a limitless heart for all beings.

“Let no one deceive another or despise anyone anywhere, or through anger or irritation

wish for another to suffer…May all beings be at ease.” (Samyutta Nikaya 1.8)

It is also a core principle of our traditions that we pursue justice and act justly—that all

people should be treated equally before the law. (Babylonian Talmud Baba Kama 83b) And

when wrongdoing occurs, we are obligated to speak out against it. (Babylonian Talmud

Shabbat 54b)

Against this background, we are appalled by your conduct as First Assistant US Attorney.

Rather than welcoming the immigrant, you have made it your mission to harass, detain,

and expel immigrants. You have violated the sacred precincts of houses of worship—

including North Hills UMC—to do so. You have persecuted those who protest these actions,

bringing frivolous charges that do not hold up in court: of more than 100 cases that you

have brought, only 23 defendants pleaded guilty and every single case that went to trial

ended in a not guilty verdict. Worse, you have not applied the law equally, but have

disproportionately targeted Black and Brown leaders, activists, and people of color.

According to public reporting, you brought multiple criminal indictments that were clearly

not supported by evidence of any conduct that could be seen as reaching the necessary

probable cause standard.(1) According to media reports, you repeatedly ignored and

overruled the recommendations of senior prosecutors who warned that there was

insufficient evidence to support an indictment; you instructed staff to disregard Justice

Department policies; and you directed DOJ attorneys to resubmit failed indictments before

new grand juries without seeking new evidence first.(2) You also reportedly talked to staff

about using your position to “criminally charge politicians, judges, or other officials who

block the Trump agenda, according to four people who were either part of those

conversations or briefed on them.”(3)

You have made a number of extrajudicial statements, including on the social media outlet

“X” (formerly Twitter) that were substantially likely to materially prejudice the rights of

individuals accused of crimes by your office, including the rights to a fair trial.

Based on public reporting, you engaged in serious misconduct, including the use of your

office to open investigations and criminal cases into political opponents of the Trump

Administration. You allegedly informed subordinates at the Office of U.S. Attorney of your

intent to use your position to criminally charge politicians, judges, or other officials who

“block the Trump agenda.”(4)

You are supposed to represent the law and our common values of justice and democracy in

Los Angeles. You have fallen woefully short. We demand that you resign—so that Los

Angeles may once again be a refuge for those fleeing violence and hunger, and a welcoming

space for all who seek justice.

Rev. Eddie Anderson, McCarty Memorial Christian Church Los Angeles

Rev. Tanya Lopez, Downey Memorial Christian Church

Rev. Susan Russell, Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles

Rev. Canon Jaime Edwards-Acton, Sacred Resistance - Episcopal Diocese of L.A.

Rev. Dr. Francisco Garcı́a, Sacred Resistance - Episcopal Diocese of L.A.

Rabbi Susan Goldberg, Nefesh

Rabbi Aryeh Cohen

Rev. Noel Andersen, Church World Service

Rev. Andrew Schwiebert, Immanuel Presbyterian Church

The Rev. Helen Mountford, Trinity Episcopal Church, Santa Barbara

Rev. Mark Hallahan, St. Paul's Church

Rev. Neil Tadken, St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Monrovia

Rev. Patricia Oreilly, Episcopal Diocese of LA

Dr. Joanne Leslie, St. Augustine’s by the Sea Episcopal Church

The Rev. Thomas Carey, Church of the Epiphany

Rev. Robin Kassabian, Episcopal Church of the Ascension

Dr. Lm Barrett, Quaker meeting

Rev. Joe Roos, Peace Mennonite Fellowship

Rev. Richard Bentley, United Methodist

Dr. Miriyam, Glazer Retired

Rabbi Dr. Stephen Einstein, Congregation B'nai Tzedek

Mr. Peter Browning, St. Andrew's Episcopal church in Irvine

Rev. Jack Miranda. Jesse Miranda Center for Hispanic Leadership

Dr. Glenna Matthews, Irvine United Congregational Church

Rev. Carolyn Estrada, Episcopal Diocese of LA

Rev. Nathan Hill, Church of the Foothills

Rev. Lee Carlile, Retired

Ms. Deborah, Gunter Orange Community of Christ

Archpriest John Beal, Orthodox Church in America

The Rev. Conrad Nordquist, All Saints' Episcopal Church

Ms. Jeannine Maldonado, C.L.U.E.

Ms. Norma Corral, Hollywood United Methodist Church

Ms. Mary Stancavage, Meditation Coalition / Undefended Dharma

Pastor Joshua Berg, Pacilic Unitarian Church

Lenore Dowling, Immaculate Heart Community

Darrell Neft, URJ

Ms. Emma Mitchell, Free Methodist Church

Mary Hayes, Retired

Rabbi Robin Podolsky, Academy for Jewish Religion CA

Rev. Melissa Campbell-Langdell, Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles

Dean Katherine Lewis (wearing red parka) marches with other clergy during an interfaith protest at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport on Jan. 23. The protest was part of a larger "ICE Out of Minnesota" day of action opposing federal immigration authorities' operations in the state and demanding accountability for federal agents who harmed residents. Photo by Kerem Yucel for Minnesota Public Radio ©2026. Used with permission. All rights reserved.

Anglican Journal

By Matthew Puddister

Published March 19, 2026

Jaime Edwards-Acton, reverendo de la Iglesia Episcopal de San Esteban (Stephen’s Episcopal Church) en Hollywood, se ha convertido en un defensor de los trabajadores indígenas zapotecos y sus familias frente a las redadas del Servicio de Inmigración y Aduanas (ICE).

La Opinion

Por Araceli Martínez Ortega

25 Feb 2026

LOS ANGELES—For Reverand Jaime Edwards-Acton, the story of brutal immigration sweeps targeting communities nationwide began in Los Angeles last year. That’s when 15 parishioners from his own church, all members of the indigenous Zapotec community, were detained.

American Community Media

By Araceli Martinez

Feb 24, 2026

DescriptionFebruary 11 2026 LA: Anti-ICE protesters and Faith Leaders marched through Los Angeles Target Store on a national day of action. Presenting Letter of DEMANDS.
Video by Ken Lopez @FreedomNTV

What happened a week ago in Minnesota, and is happening in communities across the country, runs counter to God’s vision of justice and peace

Fox News

Opinion Published January 31, 2026 8:00am EST

Sacred Resistance leaders featured in show graphics

Ali Velshi, ms.now

LA TIMES: November 26, 2025

SAVE America Movement: November 17, 2025: www.thesaveamericamovement.org

A woman detained by immigration officers was being treated for a medical emergency at Dignity Health Glendale Memorial Hospital

SAN GABRIEL VALLEY TRIBUNE: July 7, 2025

For several weeks, Cook and clergy members from a cross section of religions have been showing up at courtrooms in Orange County, Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Diego to stand with immigrants during their deportation hearings.

“When we make an event interfaith, we have so many people just wanting to come together and feel that community,” Sandoval said. “We’re all based on love and we’re all based on standing together.”

Edwards-Acton told Jenkins that many local faith leaders have joined the protests against ICE. “At a demonstration Monday, clergy were among the protesters calling for the release of David Huerta, a union leader and member of who was arrested by ICE agents while trying to document an immigration raid, according to Edwards-Acton. (Huerta, who was charged with one count of conspiracy to impede an officer, has since been released.)”

"Just like Peter stood and preached boldly in the face of empire, we too are called to boldly speak truth in our own time," Edwards-Acton said, as Busse stood nearby. "So we proclaim today, in the spirit of Jesus, that immigrant lives are sacred. We insist that family unity is holy. We declare that due process and human dignity and respect are nonnegotiables, and we will not allow this administration to normalize cruelty or silence our resistance."

Description goes hereSome U.S. religious leaders are taking a stand about President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown, including ones citing Scripture to explain their support for his policies and others citing it to explain their resistance. For many of those condemning how federal agents are rounding up and deporting people who are in the country illegally, though, nonviolent resistance is the best — and only — way to effect positive change.

“We were really there to call out ICE, demanding to know where our families are, where our loved ones are, and where our community members and church members are,” Edwards-Acton said. The group also communicated with Los Angeles Police Department officers, hoping to remind them “that we are a sanctuary city in a sanctuary state.”

As the war of words escalated between Governor Newsom and the Trump administration, Christians were urged by Sacred Resistance, the social-action arm of the Episcopal diocese of Los Angeles, to support peaceful demonstrations.

In a June 8 letter to the diocese, Sacred Resistance leaders wrote: “On Friday, June 6, 14 beloved members of our church family were unjustly detained as part of the raids that wreaked havoc and terror throughout Los Angeles communities, targeting working-class, immigrant families at work, school, and home. These actions, and the level of militarization involved, are unconscionable and we condemn them entirely.

All 14 of the men who were detained were members of the Episcopalian Diocese of Los Angeles. They were taken on the Day of Pentecost, which is celebrated by Christians, 49 days after Easter, as a “holy disruption [of] God breaking into the evil world with the spirit of justice, the spirit of liberation and love,” said Jaime Edwards-Acton, rector at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church. Today, the United States faces a moment that “cries out for that same spirit,” he said.

“Now is the time when our call to Sacred Resistance becomes clear and necessary,” the group, which advocates for immigrants’ rights, said in the diocesan email. “We stand on the side of the loving and liberating Jesus who calls us to be justice-seekers and peacemakers in the face of state violence and oppression.”

Affecting members of the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles, the raids appeared to target not criminals but those earning a living and supporting their families. Along with similar raids in San Diego and elsewhere, they suggest our country is in for a dangerous escalation of the Trump regime’s cruel, nonsensical war on immigrant workers.

Bishop John Taylor of the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles said he looks forward to joining with colleagues in mounting further legal challenges “if the government follows through on its stated intention to violate the sanctity of churches and other places of worship when they shelter those fleeing unjust power.

Univision 34 Los Angeles

Federaciones afiliadas a la red PICO organizan una serie de manifestaciones interreligiosos desde este martes hasta el próximo 8 de marzo para presionar al Congreso, que no ha dado solución permanente a la situación migratoria de miles de dreamers amaparados bajo este programa.

Por:Univision

Publicado el 6 mar 18 - 09:23 PM EST.

Un grupo de activistas proinmigrantes se manifestaron al frente de las oficinas de un congresista en Santa Clarita.

Más de 150 personas de diversas religiones se manifestaron hoy frente a la oficina de un congresista exigiendo protección para los jóvenes soñadores.

ICE detained this man in front of his family six months ago. Now he’s finally been released