| abc case | American Baptist Churches v. Meese |
| bbb | bed, bath, and bread accommodation |
| ccc | City Church Chicago (US) |
| cda | Christian Democrat Appeal (Dutch political party) |
| cec | Council of European Churches |
| coa | Central Agency for Reception of Asylum Seekers (nl) |
| cops | Community Oriented Policing Services (US) |
| cpnwr | Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge |
| crln | Chicago Religious Leadership Network on Latin America (US) |
| crtf | Chicago Religious Task Force on Central America (US) |
| csc | Church and Society Commission |
| cws | Church World Service |
| D66 | Democrats 66 (Dutch political party) |
| daca | Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (US) |
| dci | Defence for Children International |
| dhs | Department of Homeland Security (US) |
| dt&v | Repatriation and Departure Service (nl) |
| doj | Department of Justice (US) |
| echr | European Convention on Human Rights |
| ecsr | European Committee of Social Rights |
| ECtHR | European Court of Human Rights |
| esc | European Social Charter |
| eu | European Union |
| fbi | Federal Bureau of Investigation (US) |
| fbo | faith-based organization |
| ice | Immigration and Customs Enforcement (US) |
| iirira | Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 (US) |
| ind | Immigration and Naturalization Service (nl) |
| inlia | International Network of Local Initiatives with Asylum Seekers |
| ins | Immigration and Naturalization Service (US) |
| jag | Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (US) |
| lppc | Lincoln Park Presbyterian Church (US) |
| lumc | Lincoln United Methodist Church (US) |
| lvv | national aliens facility (nl) |
| ngo | non-governmental organization |
| olc | Office of Legal Counsel (US) |
| osce | Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe |
Protestant Church in the Netherlands |
|
| rfra | Religious Freedom Restoration Act (US) |
| scotus | Supreme Court of the United States of America |
| sndvu | Foundation for Emergency Reception of Homeless Aliens in Utrecht (nl) |
| stil | Support Center for Illegal Immigrants in Utrecht (nl) |
| tectf | Tucson Ecumenical Task Force on Central America |
| tfeu | Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union |
| trp | The Resurrection Project (US) |
| udhr | Universal Declaration of Human Rights |
| umc | United Methodist Church |
| UN | United Nations |
| upec | United Pentecostal and Evangelical Churches |
| usc | United States Code |
| vbl | freedom-limiting location (nl) |
| vng | Association of Netherlands Municipalities |
| vvd | People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (Dutch political party) |
| waucc | Wellington Avenue United Church of Christ (US) |
| wmo | Social Support Act (nl) |