Provocative Christmas Displays at American Places of Worship Offer Commentary on ICE

Across the United States, Christmas displays are on display that critique aggressive government immigration enforcement policies. These installations reimagine the classic Christmas story, depicting the newborn Christ and his family, Joseph and Mary, as figures caught up in the tactics of immigration authorities.

A Stark Interpretation in Evanston

One powerful display at a congregation in Evanston, Illinois features the infant Christ placed within a crib out in the snow. However, the figure is covered by the kind of emergency blankets frequently distributed to detainees and has its hands secured by plastic restraints.

Nearby, the figure of Mary stands just outside the building, wearing a respirator. This item has been used by protesters attempting protection from chemical agents. She is flanked by representations of Roman soldiers, however in this scene they are wearing body armor marked with the letters “ICE.”

An Absent Holy Family

At a different Chicago church, the usual models of the holy family are nowhere to be seen from the standard nativity scene featuring camels and donkeys and Magi. Instead, a placard carries a direct statement: “Because of enforcement actions in our neighborhood the Holy Family is in hiding.”

“The holiday season is a time where we have displays in front of the church and we get an opportunity to say something,” remarked a senior minister behind one of the displays.

Statements Echo Across the Country

These artistic statements are extensions of the visible role played by religious communities in ongoing protests against federal policies. Similar socially conscious displays have been erected in multiple states.

In Massachusetts, a parish removed the small statue of the baby Jesus from its nativity scene. Left behind was a handmade sign that read: “Immigration authorities were here.” The parish are said to have stood defiant in the face of complaints from both diocesan and agency leadership.

Linking Ancient Story and Contemporary Issue

For the creators of these displays, framing the ancient tale of Christ’s birth within a contemporary political frame helps bring focus to current government agendas. They argue that the family's status as displaced persons parallels the actual anxieties and realities of numerous households today, including family separation and the removal of breadwinning loved ones.

This is not the initial instance churches have used Christmas displays for political protest. In previous years, displays have highlighted topics ranging from conflict to the environmental emergency.

Encountering Pushback and Enduring Storms

The statements are not always widely accepted. A clergy member involved commented that some critics either misinterpret the message or “find it very difficult to their sense of right and wrong and are reacting negatively at the display rather than considering what the actual message is.”

In a physical sense, the elements have also impacted one scene. At another location, the figure of St. Joseph was knocked over in a storm and was unable to be restored. A substitute notice now marks the spot, stating: “Joseph was lost. We keep this place to memorialize all the victims of immigration enforcement actions.”