🔗 Share this article Political Christmas Displays at US Churches Push Back on Immigration Enforcement Throughout the US, Christmas exhibits have appeared that comment on aggressive government immigration enforcement policies. These installations retell the traditional Christmas story, depicting the infant Christ and his family, Mary and Joseph, as victims affected by the tactics of enforcement agents. A Stark Retelling in a Chicago Suburb One striking installation at a congregation in Evanston, Illinois shows baby Jesus lying in a manger out in the snow. However, the figure is wrapped in the kind of thin, foil thermal blankets frequently given to detainees and has its wrists secured by zip-ties. Close by, the figure of the Virgin Mary stands outside the church, equipped with a gas mask. Such gear has been used by activists seeking to guard against tear gas. Beside her are representations of ancient soldiers, but in this display they are dressed in body armor labeled with the letters “ICE.” An Absent Holy Family At a different Chicago church, the usual figures of the holy family are conspicuously absent from the traditional nativity scene with camels and donkeys and Magi. Instead, a placard carries a direct statement: “Because of enforcement actions in our community the Holy Family is in hiding.” “The holiday season is a time when we have displays out on the lawn and we get an chance to make a statement,” remarked a senior minister involved with one of the displays. Messages Echo Across the Country These artistic statements are extensions of the prominent part played by religious communities in ongoing protests against federal policies. Similar socially conscious exhibits have appeared in other states. In one New England state, a church removed the tiny figure of Christ from its creche. In its spot was a handmade notice that read: “ICE was here.” Church officials are said to have stood defiant despite criticism from both religious and government leadership. Connecting Biblical Narrative and Contemporary Issue According to those behind these scenes, presenting the age-old tale of the nativity within a contemporary political frame draws attention to current government agendas. They argue that the family's experience as refugees mirrors the real fears and realities of numerous families today, including being torn apart and the removal of breadwinning family members. It is not the first time churches have employed Christmas displays for social commentary. Previously, installations have addressed topics ranging from conflict to the environmental emergency. Encountering Criticism and Weathering Storms The statements are not always widely accepted. A clergy member involved noted that some detractors either do not fully understand the message or “consider it really difficult to their sense of right and wrong and are lashing out at the art rather than engaging with what the true message is.” In a literal sense, the weather have also affected one display. At another location, the statue of St. Joseph was blown down in a storm and could not be repaired. A replacement sign now marks the spot, declaring: “Joseph was lost. We hold this space to memorialize all the victims of immigration enforcement actions.”
Throughout the US, Christmas exhibits have appeared that comment on aggressive government immigration enforcement policies. These installations retell the traditional Christmas story, depicting the infant Christ and his family, Mary and Joseph, as victims affected by the tactics of enforcement agents. A Stark Retelling in a Chicago Suburb One striking installation at a congregation in Evanston, Illinois shows baby Jesus lying in a manger out in the snow. However, the figure is wrapped in the kind of thin, foil thermal blankets frequently given to detainees and has its wrists secured by zip-ties. Close by, the figure of the Virgin Mary stands outside the church, equipped with a gas mask. Such gear has been used by activists seeking to guard against tear gas. Beside her are representations of ancient soldiers, but in this display they are dressed in body armor labeled with the letters “ICE.” An Absent Holy Family At a different Chicago church, the usual figures of the holy family are conspicuously absent from the traditional nativity scene with camels and donkeys and Magi. Instead, a placard carries a direct statement: “Because of enforcement actions in our community the Holy Family is in hiding.” “The holiday season is a time when we have displays out on the lawn and we get an chance to make a statement,” remarked a senior minister involved with one of the displays. Messages Echo Across the Country These artistic statements are extensions of the prominent part played by religious communities in ongoing protests against federal policies. Similar socially conscious exhibits have appeared in other states. In one New England state, a church removed the tiny figure of Christ from its creche. In its spot was a handmade notice that read: “ICE was here.” Church officials are said to have stood defiant despite criticism from both religious and government leadership. Connecting Biblical Narrative and Contemporary Issue According to those behind these scenes, presenting the age-old tale of the nativity within a contemporary political frame draws attention to current government agendas. They argue that the family's experience as refugees mirrors the real fears and realities of numerous families today, including being torn apart and the removal of breadwinning family members. It is not the first time churches have employed Christmas displays for social commentary. Previously, installations have addressed topics ranging from conflict to the environmental emergency. Encountering Criticism and Weathering Storms The statements are not always widely accepted. A clergy member involved noted that some detractors either do not fully understand the message or “consider it really difficult to their sense of right and wrong and are lashing out at the art rather than engaging with what the true message is.” In a literal sense, the weather have also affected one display. At another location, the statue of St. Joseph was blown down in a storm and could not be repaired. A replacement sign now marks the spot, declaring: “Joseph was lost. We hold this space to memorialize all the victims of immigration enforcement actions.”