Plano, TX- Templo La Fe Worship Center, a small, Hispanic church in Balch Springs, will finally be allowed to build a church on the land they purchased in 1997.
Under pressure from the Department of Justice and Liberty Legal Institute, the city council of Balch Springs reversed its decision this week and granted a special use permit to the church.
Although the City of Balch Springs, gave into one of the Templo La Fe Worship Center’s demands, there are other matters that need to be resolved before the lawsuit will be dropped.
Liberty Legal filed the suit in June 2004 against the City of Balch Springs when they denied the special use permit to the church. When the City failed to comply, The U.S. Department of Justice opened an investigation.
Although the investigation into the violation of the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act was not yet complete, the city council backed down, reversing its decision and granting the special use permit to the church.
“The Templo La Fe and Liberty Legal Institute are grateful to have a Department of Justice willing to defend our religious freedoms. Cities and school districts across the state of Texas should take note; if they violate the law or infringe our religious freedoms, we will take every step necessary to crush the injustice,” said Hiram Sasser, Director of Litigation for Liberty Legal Institute.
The U.S. Department of Justice will release its own press release as well.