Provocative Christmas Scenes at American Places of Worship Offer Commentary on Immigration Enforcement

Throughout the US, satirical holiday displays are on display that critique aggressive government immigration policies. These scenes retell the traditional nativity story, depicting the newborn Jesus and his family, Joseph and Mary, as victims affected by the tactics of enforcement agents.

A Stark Retelling in Evanston

One striking installation at a church in the Chicago suburb of Evanston shows the infant Christ lying in a manger amidst snow. However, the figure is wrapped in the type of emergency blankets often given to those in custody and has its wrists secured by plastic restraints.

Close by, the statue of Mary is positioned just outside the building, wearing a respirator. This item has been adopted by activists seeking protection from chemical agents. She is flanked by representations of Roman soldiers, but in this display they are wearing body armor marked with the acronym “ICE.”

An Absent Holy Family

At a different Windy City church, the customary figures of the holy family are conspicuously absent from the standard nativity scene with animals and wise men. Instead, a placard carries a simple message: “Due to enforcement actions in our community the Holy Family is in hiding.”

“The holiday season is a period when we have public art out on the lawn and we get an opportunity to say something,” said a church leader behind one of the displays.

Statements Spread Nationwide

These visual protests are extensions of the visible role taken by religious communities in ongoing protests against federal policies. Similar socially conscious exhibits have appeared in multiple states.

In one New England state, a church removed the tiny figure of the baby Jesus from its creche. Left behind was a hand-painted sign that read: “Immigration authorities were here.” Church officials reportedly remained firm despite complaints from both diocesan and agency leadership.

Linking Biblical Narrative and Modern Crisis

According to those behind these displays, presenting the ancient story of Christ’s birth within a contemporary political frame helps bring focus to ongoing administrative agendas. They argue that the holy family’s status as displaced persons parallels the real anxieties and realities of numerous households today, including family separation and the deportation of breadwinning family members.

This is not the first time churches have used Christmas displays for social commentary. Previously, installations have addressed issues ranging from war to the environmental emergency.

Encountering Pushback and Weathering Storms

The messages are not always widely accepted. A church minister involved noted that some detractors either do not fully understand the message or “consider it very challenging to their conscience and are reacting negatively at the display rather than engaging with what the true meaning is.”

In a physical way, the elements have also affected one display. At another church, the figure of St. Joseph was blown down in a storm and could not be repaired. A substitute notice now occupies the space, declaring: “Joseph didn’t make it. We hold this space to memorialize all the victims of immigration enforcement actions.”