Christian institutions have been targeted for arson and deadly violence over the past year, giving many Americans reason to doubt whether their church is a safe place to worship.

However, a new report suggests that they may need to worry about another danger: government infiltration. 

Documents show FBI took an interest in "mainline Catholic parishes"

According to Fox News, documents were released by the House Judiciary Committee on Monday showing that the FBI sought to develop sources inside churches.

This included using churches as "new avenues for tripwire and source development," with "mainline Catholic parishes" being a particular area of interest.

Fox News noted that this led  House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan to send FBI Director Christopher Wray a letter demanding answers.

"Based on the limited information produced by the FBI to the Committee, we now know that the FBI relied on at least one undercover agent to produce its analysis, and that the FBI proposed that its agents engage in outreach to Catholic parishes to develop sources among the clergy and church leadership to inform on Americans practicing their faith," Jordan was quoted as saying.

Jordan: Americans "must be free to exercise their fundamental First Amendment rights"

"This information is outrageous and only reinforces the Committee’s need for all FBI material responsive to our request," the Ohio Republican continued.

"The documents produced to date show how the FBI sought to enlist Catholic houses of worship as potential sources to monitor and report on their parishioners," he stressed.

"Americans attend church to worship and congregate for their spiritual and personal betterment," Jordon went on to declare.

"They must be free to exercise their fundamental First Amendment rights without worrying that the FBI may have planted so-called 'tripwire' sources or other informants in their houses of worship," he added.

Attorney general slammed for unequal application of the law

Fox News reported that Jordan has also issued a subpoena to the FBI for documents that his committee had previously requested but which have thus far not been produced.

That comes just over a month after Republican senators slammed Attorney General Merrick Garland for unequal application of the law.

They pointed to how the Department of Justice (DOJ) has gone after pro-life activists while at the same time failing to prosecute those who have vandalized churches and pregnancy care centers.

BREAKING: Merrick Garland Says DOJ Not Prosecuting Attacks on Pro-Life Groups Because They Happen at Night https://t.co/EWS65wpbUd pic.twitter.com/d18ezxM7Hz

— LifeNews.com (@LifeNewsHQ) March 1, 2023