Nativity Scene Replaces Baby Jesus with ‘I.C.E. WAS HERE’ Sign in Protest of Immigration Policies
A Massachusetts parish is sparking national debate this Christmas season by replacing the baby Jesus in it’s nativity scene with a pointed message directed at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE),highlighting growing tensions over the agency’s enforcement tactics.
As ICE continues to arrest a significant number of individuals – roughly a third of whom have no criminal records – St. Susanna parish in Dedham, Massachusetts, has chosen to make a bold statement, doubling down on the church’s commitment to social justice. The nativity scene now features a sign reading “I.C.E. WAS HERE” in the manger, alongside depictions of Mary and Joseph as refugees.
the parish’s pastor, Father Kevin O’Leary, explained that the display is intended to draw attention to the plight of modern-day refugees and immigrants.He reminded viewers that “God’s new life ‘is out in the margins of life, out of the desert, the places that are not seen by society.'” He posed the question during a recent Sunday mass: “Where would those places be in our world today?” – answering with “overcrowded shelters for the homeless, immigration and deportation centers, refugee camps.”
The Archdiocese of Boston quickly responded, labeling the scene as “divisive political messaging” that diminishes the nativity’s “proper sacred purpose.” C.J. doyle,head of the Catholic Action League,was even more critical,stating,”This is a case of a dissident priest who has a long history of these crackpot political stunts. He’s politicizing Christmas, he’s exploiting the Holy Family, he’s trivializing it and he’s using his position as a pastor to promote his left-wing political ideology.”
The controversy extends beyond the religious sphere. Acting ICE director Todd Lyons, a South Boston native and Jesuit-educated alumnus of Boston Collage High School, condemned the display as “absolutely abhorrent,” claiming it fuels a “perilous narrative” responsible for a reported 1,150% increase in assaults on ICE officers.
Though, the governance’s claims regarding the increase in assaults have been met with skepticism. Reports indicate the same administration previously attempted to elevate a thrown sandwich to a felony and failed to secure a conviction against a woman accused of attacking a federal agent. Moreover, documented instances of pepper spray being used on clergy praying outside ICE detention centers, and alleged physical manhandling of a U.S. senator and representative, raise questions about the agency’s conduct. Multiple judges have also accused federal agents of dishonesty. Therefore, the 1,150% figure should be viewed with caution absent further corroboration.
Despite the backlash, the parish’s actions resonate with a growing sentiment of opposition to ICE’s enforcement practices. The core issue, observers note, isn’t a nativity scene in suburban Boston, but rather the “extreme enforcement tactics” that threaten civil liberties.
St. Susanna is not alone in its approach. Lake Street Church in Evanston, Illinois, has erected a nativity scene depicting Joseph and Mary wearing gas masks, with baby Jesus swaddled in a reflective blanket similar to those used by migrants in detention centers.This reflects a broader recognition that fleeing state violence is central to the original christmas story – a story of refugees.
“Sometimes it feels difficult to believe in social justice, but also be Catholic,” shared one attendee at St. Susanna, who had returned to mass for the first time in five years. “It’s hard to find churches these days that reconcile the two.”
This sentiment is shared by millions of Catholics, who are seeking a church that doesn’t shy away from the fears of immigrant families. They are calling for greater boldness from archdioceses like Boston’s, and a more visible commitment to the message delivered last month by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops: “We are disturbed when we see among our people a climate of fear and anxiety around questions of profiling and immigration enforcement. We are saddened by the state of contemporary debate and the vilification of immigrants.”
The provocative nativity scenes serve as a powerful reminder that the story of Jesus is, at its heart, a refugee story – and a refusal to acknowledge that truth is a far greater transgression than any display of protest.
