(ABC 6 News) – In a special congregation meeting, the People of Hope Church voted to become a “sanctuary congregation,” providing advocacy, support and, in potential limited cases, actual sanctuary to undocumented immigrants in the community.

The decision joins the church with thousands of faith-based organizations across the country that have taken a stance against the Trump administration’s efforts to ramp up deportations over the last few months.

It’s a revival of a movement that started in the 1980’s with churches taking in Central American refugees escaping conflicts in their home countries.

Following strengthened immigration laws, however, many congregations have committed more to advocacy and support than such direct action.

People of Hope is one.

Marilyn Hansmann is a long-time congregant of the church – more than two decades – and has acted in various leadership capacities in that time.

She says the decision, while not made lightly, is a reflection of the values that church has always held.

“We look around our community and we’re all immigrants,” she said. “Everybody has come from somewhere else. We’re hoping to keep families together, keep people working, keep people feeling safe in our community just as we feel safe.”

Certain actions taken by these “sanctuary congregations,” such as providing transportation or actually harboring undocumented people, can come with severe legal consequences.

“Under the federal statute, it could be prosecuted as either a federal misdemeanor or as a felony,” says Ana Pottratz Acosta, a professor of law at Mitchell Hamline School of Law. She also contributed to legal guidance developed by the American Immigration Lawyers Association during Trump’s first term for sanctuary congregations. “Depending on how aggressive the Department of Justice wanted to be they could really bring the hammer down.”

There are, however, multiple avenues of work these groups can engage in with bringing on those challenges.

Advocacy in government, providing legal aid or education, and responding to scenes of immigration enforcement to provide support are all fair game, and things People of Hope have said they intend to do.

And they’re not alone, as People of Hope is now one of three churches in Rochester, joining the First United Universalist Church and Peace United Church of Christ, that describe themselves as “sanctuary congregations.”

Though unavailable to comment directly, People of Hope Pastor Dan Doering did say in a statement, “Our focus is on individuals who have come to the U.S. out of fear, have built lives and families here, and who are peaceful, contributing members of the community. We are also committed to educating our congregation and the broader community about immigration issues and compiling resources to support non-criminal, non-violent individuals facing deportation.”