DHS criticized a Charlotte church's modern Nativity installation that depicts the Holy Family under the watch of figures styled as ICE agents, calling the portrayal inaccurate and offensive. Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said ICE does not zip-tie infants or children and argued such depictions contribute to hostility toward officers. The department reported a more than 1,150% increase in assaults on ICE compared with the same period last year. The church and artist collective TaskForce said the display aims to highlight the fear many immigrant families felt after recent local operations.
DHS Rebukes Church Nativity Reimagining, Says ICE Depiction 'Never Happens' in Enforcement
The Department of Homeland Security said a church's interpretation of a Nativity scene that reportedly intended to "disturb passersby" this Christmas is an example of what's contributing to a rise in assaults on ICE.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Friday criticized a contemporary Nativity installation at Missiongathering Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, saying the display — which features figures styled as immigration agents standing over the Holy Family — portrays actions that DHS officials insist "never happens" in immigration enforcement.
What the Installation Shows
The artwork, created in collaboration with an artist collective called TaskForce and local contributors, reportedly places figures representing Mary, Joseph and the infant Jesus alongside masked figures in tactical gear wearing bulletproof vests and carrying handcuffs. Pastor Rev. Andrew Shipley told The Charlotte Observer the piece was intended to "translate the Christmas story into a modern context," arguing that immigrant families in Charlotte have been living in fear after recent local immigration operations.
Official Response
Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told Fox News Digital that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) does not zip-tie infants or children and called the depiction offensive to Christians. McLaughlin said the scene presents an inaccurate portrayal of enforcement and warned that the public "demonization of law enforcement" has contributed to a sharp rise in attacks on ICE personnel.
Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told Fox News Digital Immigration and Customs Enforcement is not zip-tying infants or children.
"Not only is this ‘Nativity’ scene offensive to Christians, but it is also depicting something that — despite what Rev. Shipley says — NEVER happens," McLaughlin said.
Context And Reactions
DHS has reported a more than 1,150% increase in assaults and violent attacks against ICE officers compared with the same period last year. The department has cited heightened public criticism of enforcement as one possible factor in growing hostility toward officers. Missiongathering Church said the installation was intended to force passersby to confront the fear many immigrant families have felt after recent arrests and to provoke empathy and conversation.
Similar reinterpretations of the Nativity have appeared at other U.S. congregations, including displays in Evanston, Illinois, and Dedham, Massachusetts, that also drew controversy and calls for removal. Missiongathering Church did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment about the display.
Key facts: the installation was reported to be produced with support from TaskForce; church leaders describe it as a statement on immigrant fear; DHS officials dispute the accuracy of the imagery and link anti-law-enforcement rhetoric to increased assaults on officers.
