Chicago church joins others in using Nativity scene to protest ICE policies and support refugees

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS: A church near Chicago has drawn widespread attention this holiday season with an unconventional and politically charged Nativity scene.

The display is at Lake Street Church in Evanston, a suburb of Chicago, Illinois.

Lake Street church’s ICE themed nativity scene

This installation reimagines the traditional Nativity scene as a commentary on forced family separation and contemporary immigration detention practices.

A social media post shared by the church explains that the featured figures draw direct parallels between the Biblical Holy Family and modern migrants. 

The church’s statement emphasized that the Holy Family’s status as refugees is not a “political interpretation” but rather rooted in the traditional story retold through the realities faced by migrants today.

Highlighting the struggles, the post said "By placing the Christmas story within the visual language of immigration enforcement and detention, this work asks viewers to confront the disconnect between professed religious or moral values and immigration policies."

The installation’s imagery also incorporates multiple symbolic elements "The emergency blanket references the actual materials used in detention facilities."

Further highlighting conditions, "The zip ties on the infant's wrists directly reference the children who were zip-tied by agents during a raid on a Chicago apartment building earlier this year, where most residents were US citizens."

It also showed both Mary and Joseph wear gas masks to symbolize documented use of tear gas and other chemical agents by immigration enforcement authorities.

Additionally, when a storm knocked the figure of Joseph down, the church placed a sign in his place which read, “Joseph didn’t make it. We hold this space to honor and remember all of the victims of immigration enforcement terror."

Giving a stern warning, "This serves as a stark reminder that enforcement terrorþ does not discriminate by documentation status."

Churches respond to ICE enforcement

Across the United States, several churches have turned traditional Christmas Nativity scenes into political statements by incorporating imagery related to immigration enforcement.

Phil Mandeville, who sits on St Susanna's Parish Council and coordinates a multi-church refugee support committee, said long-standing relationships make the parish resolute about keeping the display.

Since 2019, the committee has worked with about 10 refugee families, helping them find housing, enroll in school, learn English, and secure work.

Concluding their post, the Lake Street Church community urged, "We hope viewers will join the conversation about what sanctuary means when families fleeing violence are met with separation, detention, and dehumanization."

It also called for change, "We further hope that conversation will move people to action, regardless of faith or philosophical background."