Government at any level has no place telling any religious institution how they are permitted to live out their beliefs.”

Political divisions and concerns over a legal battle punctuated heated debate over whether the church could build housing for trafficking survivors.

Mercy Culture Church, located in east Fort Worth, wants to build a shelter for survivors of human trafficking called the Justice Reform Discipleship Center.

Mercy Culture is threatening to sue individual Fort Worth City Council members and city staff if a proposed human trafficking victim shelter isn’t approved at the Dec. 10 council meeting, according to a demand letter obtained by the Star-Telegram.