Political Nativity Displays at US Places of Worship Push Back on ICE

Throughout the United States, satirical holiday displays have appeared that critique hardline government immigration enforcement policies. These installations retell the traditional Christmas story, depicting the newborn Christ and his family, Joseph and Mary, as victims affected by the actions of enforcement agents.

A Stark Retelling in Evanston

One striking display at a congregation in Evanston, Illinois features the infant Christ placed within a manger out in the snow. However, the figure is wrapped in the type of thin, foil thermal blankets often given to those in custody and has its hands secured by plastic restraints.

Close by, the statue of the Virgin Mary stands just outside the building, wearing a gas mask. Such gear has been used by activists seeking protection from tear gas. She is flanked by representations of ancient soldiers, but in this display they are wearing body armor labeled with the letters “ICE.”

‘The Holy Family is in Hiding’

At a different Chicago church, the customary figures of the holy family are conspicuously absent from the traditional nativity scene with camels and donkeys and Magi. Instead, a placard carries a simple statement: “Due to enforcement actions in our neighborhood the Holy Family is in seclusion.”

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

Messages Spread Across the Country

These visual protests are extensions of the visible role taken by faith leaders in ongoing demonstrations against immigration enforcement. Similar political exhibits have appeared in other states.

In Massachusetts, a parish took away the tiny figure of Christ from its creche. Left behind was a hand-painted sign that stated: “ICE was here.” The parish reportedly stood defiant despite criticism from various diocesan and agency officials.

Linking Ancient Story and Contemporary Issue

For the creators of these displays, presenting the age-old story of the nativity within a contemporary sociopolitical frame helps bring focus to current government agendas. They contend that the family's status as displaced persons parallels the actual anxieties and realities of many families today, encompassing family separation and the deportation of breadwinning loved ones.

It is not the first time congregations have used Christmas displays for social commentary. In previous years, displays have addressed topics ranging from war to the environmental emergency.

Encountering Criticism and Enduring Storms

The messages are not always widely accepted. A clergy member involved noted that some critics either do not fully understand the message or “find it really challenging to their sense of right and wrong and are reacting negatively at the art rather than considering what the actual message is.”

In a physical sense, the elements have also affected one scene. At a separate church, the figure of Joseph was blown down in a windstorm and could not be repaired. A replacement sign now occupies the spot, declaring: “Joseph was lost. We keep this place to memorialize all the those affected of enforcement terror.”