Reports Warn of Nationwide ICE Operations at Churches During Christmas

New reporting suggests that ICE and CBP — agencies within the Department of Homeland Security — may be preparing a nationwide effort to monitor or target Spanish-speaking churches during the holiday season. The mere suggestion of such operations has already stirred fear in immigrant congregations across the country.

Three Department of Justice attorneys say internal briefings have circulated describing enforcement inside Spanish-speaking Christian churches. Their concerns intensified after 81 coordinated arrests in Charlotte, including one on church property — an incident that aligns with the tactics described in these briefings.

Pastors in New England say they’ve been approached by ICE agents and individuals identifying as FBI officers who requested names, addresses, and attendance records of congregants. Others received mailers advertising a CBP app linked to “voluntary self-

deportation,” raising further alarm.

This reporting has significantly disrupted church life. In Atlanta, a viral WhatsApp message warning of large ICE raids sent panic through a small Pentecostal congregation. The pastor urged calm during that night’s prayer service, but many neighboring churches canceled gatherings altogether.

The emotional impact is deep. Families are reconsidering attending Christmas services; churches have scaled back public ministries; even documented immigrants fear being separated from loved ones. For centuries, churches have been sanctuaries for the vulnerable. Targeting or surveilling these spaces contradicts both historic Christian practice and America’s commitment to religious freedom.

Advent and Christmas should bring peace and comfort. Instead, many immigrant families begin the season burdened by uncertainty. At a moment centered on welcoming the stranger, congregations are called to stand firmly with those most at risk.