A lawsuit over whether churches are eligible for assistance from FEMA will now go to trial. On Thursday, a federal judge in Houston denied an emergency request by three Texas churches to apply for federal relief to rebuild sanctuaries damaged by Harvey.
The case tests the constitutional establishment clause by examining whether a church-affiliated nonprofit can use federal dollars to rebuild structures that both provide community aid *and* serve as houses of worship.
The suit was filed by churches in Rockport, Cypress, and Cleveland.