Asylum seekers detained in Sheridan file federal lawsuit

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – Two asylum seekers detained at a federal prison in western Oregon have filed a lawsuit contending the Trump administration violated religious protections.

Oregon Public Broadcasting reported that Pachattar Singh and Gurpreet Singh filed the federal lawsuit Thursday saying they weren’t allowed to follow customs of their Sikh religion.

The lawsuit says the men were not allowed to cover their heads at the Federal Correctional Institution in Sheridan.

The lawsuit also says they were denied religious texts, food that conformed to their religious faith and access to a suitable location for prayers.

The lawsuit says those are violations of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement in late May sent more than 120 detainees from the U.S. southern border to Sheridan.

The federal government hasn’t responded to the lawsuit.