Boston Parish’s Anti‑ICE Nativity — ‘I.C.E. WAS HERE’ Sign Reignites Debate Over Faith and Immigration

St. Susanna Parish in Dedham, Massachusetts, has turned its annual nativity display into a pointed commentary on immigration enforcement: the usual infant Jesus was replaced with a sign reading “I.C.E. WAS HERE”, and the scene includes a phone number for people to report sightings of immigration agents. The installation continues a parish practice of immigration‑themed mangers; the 2018 display depicted the infant inside a cage.

The stark image is intended to provoke reflection. In a Sunday homily, Rev. Stephen Josoma said the nativity reminds people that new life is often found “out in the margins of life — out of the desert, the places that are not seen by society,” and he pointed to overcrowded shelters, detention centers and refugee camps as contemporary parallels.

The display drew swift criticism. The Archdiocese of Boston called it “divisive political messaging” that, in the archdiocese’s view, diminishes the sacred purpose of the nativity. C.J. Doyle of the Catholic Action League accused the priest of politicizing Christmas and staging what he called a political stunt.

Acting ICE director Todd Lyons condemned the display and cited a figure he attributes to ICE and the Department of Homeland Security — a reported 1,150% increase in assaults on ICE officers — to argue the installation contributes to a dangerous narrative.

That statistic, however, is contested in public discussion and lacks the context many observers say is needed. Critics point to several widely reported incidents — including clashes in which clergy and members of Congress were pepper‑sprayed and highly publicized enforcement encounters — and to judicial findings in unrelated cases that raised questions about some federal agents’ conduct. Because those examples are complex and fact‑specific, commentators say the raw percentage alone should be treated cautiously.

In 2018, the nativity scene at St. Susanna Parish in Dedham, M.A., included baby Jesus inside a black metal cage.Suzanne Kreiter/The Boston Globe via Getty Images

Supporters of St. Susanna, including parishioners and other faith leaders, argue the display calls attention to the Nativity’s often‑emphasized theme of flight and refuge: in their view, Jesus’ early story is a refugee story, and recognizing that parallel is consistent with the church’s social‑justice tradition. Other congregations have staged similarly provocative displays: Lake Street Church in Evanston, Illinois, showed Joseph and Mary in gas masks and the infant wrapped in the reflective blankets commonly issued to migrants in detention facilities.

Many Catholics and churchgoers say they want diocesan leaders to speak more boldly about immigration and the practical fears facing immigrant parishioners. Last month the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops urged compassion and warned of a growing climate of fear around profiling and immigration enforcement; the bishops said they oppose “indiscriminate mass deportation” and called for an end to dehumanizing rhetoric.

Public discussions of the nativity display have included an erroneous attribution in earlier coverage that mentioned a Pope Leo XIV quote. That attribution appears to be inaccurate and could not be verified; the quote has been removed from this version.

Latino Catholics represent a large and growing share of the U.S. Catholic population — frequently cited at roughly 40% — and many parish leaders say immigrant communities are vital to parish life and renewal. Supporters of St. Susanna argue the archdiocese should engage with these pastoral realities rather than simply condemning a parish for a provocative display.

Whether one finds the display moving or offensive, the episode has reignited a broader debate about the intersection of faith, public witness and immigration policy — and about how church leaders should respond when parishioners feel threatened by enforcement tactics and rhetoric.