A coalition of Valley churches and the founders of a far-right Arizona group have reached a deal to settle a federal lawsuit filed in June, and the sides are now seeking court-approval. 

The churches accused members of two far-right Arizona groups of conspiring to violate people’s civil rights, invasion of privacy and defamation.

Court records show that four founders of the group AZ Patriots have reached a deal with the churches. If a judge approves, the four AZ Patriots founders would be permanently blocked from saying, or implying, that faith leaders helping migrant families are in any way involved in human trafficking, sex trafficking or harboring fugitives. They also would have to scrub those kinds of statements from the internet.

The four AZ Patriots founders used to be members of the group Patriot Movement AZ, which is still being sued by the churches.