Several U.S. churches altered traditional Nativity scenes this Christmas to protest or draw attention to ICE activity and immigration enforcement. Urban Village Church in River Forest and Lake Street Church in Evanston installed provocative signs and imagery, while St. Susanna Parish in Dedham replaced its manger figures with a placard reading “ICE was here.” Church leaders say the displays are meant to spark dialogue about sanctuary and human dignity; the Archdiocese of Boston and DHS officials criticized the actions as divisive or inaccurate.
Church Nativity Displays Protest ICE Enforcement, Sparking Heated Debate Between Faith Leaders and Officials
Urban Village ChurchA sign referencing ICE on Urban Village Church's Nativity display in Illinois
This Christmas season, several U.S. churches replaced or altered traditional Nativity scenes to call attention to federal immigration enforcement, prompting praise from advocates and rebuke from church and government officials.
In River Forest, Illinois, Urban Village Church — affiliated with the United Methodist Church — posted an outdoor sign reading, “Due to ICE activity in our community, the Holy Family is in hiding.” The sign, installed Dec. 7, was inspired by a similar action at St. Susanna Parish in Dedham, Massachusetts, where statues of Mary, Joseph and the infant Jesus were removed and replaced with a placard that read “ICE was here.”
Urban Village ChurchA sign from the Nativity display of Illinois' Urban Village Church
Nearby in Evanston, Lake Street Church altered a front-lawn Nativity to include a baby Jesus with zip-tied wrists and Mary wearing a gas mask; a sign beside the scene stated, “Joseph didn’t make it.” The depiction drew news coverage from the Associated Press and the Chicago Sun-Times and was described by the church as an intentionally provocative installation meant to spark discussion about sanctuary and the human cost of immigration enforcement.
Clergy Explain Their Intent
Urban Village Pastor Abby Holcombe told PEOPLE that the changes reflect a Gospel impulse to speak to pressing social issues: “We are firmly rooted in a Gospel that compels us to speak to real issues,” she said. Holcombe added that the displays are intended to remind viewers that welcoming migrants and refugees is a core Christian value.
St. Susanna ParishSt. Susanna Parish's Nativity display in Massachusetts featuring a sign that reads "ICE Was Here"
“Jesus taught that when we welcome the stranger, we welcome him,” Holcombe said. “Being a disciple of Jesus Christ requires that we welcome immigrants and migrants, that we advocate for their well-being and abundant life.”
St. Susanna’s pastor, Father Stephen Josoma, said his parish’s sign grew out of conversations with refugee families who carry deep physical and emotional scars. He told WBUR the installation was meant to raise awareness of the suffering many displaced people endure and to prompt reflection on how they are treated.
Official Responses And Continued Debate
The Archdiocese of Boston quickly demanded that St. Susanna restore a traditional manger, arguing that parishioners expect opportunities for prayer and worship free from divisive political messaging. In a statement shared with Fox affiliate WFXT, the archdiocese said St. Susanna neither requested nor received permission to depart from canonical norms.
St. Susanna ParishSt. Susanna Parish's sign in its Nativity display
Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin criticized the St. Susanna display in a statement to PEOPLE on Dec. 9, calling the scene offensive to Christians and contending that the depiction was inaccurate because, she said, ICE does not separate infants or children from families.
St. Susanna Parish defended the installation by noting that the Vatican and other Catholic institutions have displayed themed nativities addressing social issues — including a 2016 nativity focused on refugees — and that their goal was to foster emotional engagement and dialogue, not sacrilege.
Despite some hostile messages, Urban Village Church reported support from clergy and congregants across the country. As of Dec. 15, Father Josoma said there were no new developments in talks with the archdiocese.
Why It Matters
These displays touch on larger debates about the role of houses of worship in public advocacy, the boundaries between religious witness and partisan messaging, and how communities choose to respond to immigration policy and enforcement. Supporters say the altered nativities draw essential attention to human dignity and sanctuary; critics argue they politicize sacred spaces and risk alienating worshippers.
Whatever one’s view, the installations succeeded in prompting public conversation — exactly the outcome their organizers say they intended.
