A controversial immigration-themed Nativity scene at a north suburban church had a peaceful resolution on Christmas Eve when the Holy Family figures were reunited in safety — and federal agents included in the original display were turned into shepherds.
The politically charged outdoor creche at Lake Street Church of Evanston was assembled the day after Thanksgiving with the Virgin Mary and Joseph wearing gas masks and zip ties binding the hands of baby Jesus. His manger was surrounded by centurions dressed in sunglasses and vests labeled “ICE” for Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Church leaders have staunchly opposed the Trump administration’s ongoing immigration crackdown dubbed Operation Midway Blitz, which has spurred fear across the Chicago area since September. They’ve joined a mounting chorus of many local clergy and spiritual leaders across the globe who have become vocal critics of escalating immigration enforcement tactics, which include often violent raids, detentions and turbulent protests.
The Evanston church’s nativity scene was intended to draw parallels between the plight of migrants today and the Christmas story of the Holy Family, who were immigrants or refugees when they fled Bethlehem and the wrath of King Herod, according to Biblical texts.
“Jesus was born into a world where there was political violence. He was threatened by an authoritarian ruler and his family was forced to be refugees,” said the Rev. Michael Woolf, senior minister at Lake Street Church. “We see the direct parallels to today. This was never a safe, cozy story.”
The Christmas decorations drew mixed reactions on social media throughout the Advent season. Supporters have praised the anti-immigration enforcement message as “powerful art” while opponents have criticized the installation as “blasphemy” and “spiritual deception.”
“Using the birth of Christ to push a totally different message,” one critic posted on the church’s Facebook page earlier this month. “Honor the King of Kings…if He truly is your king.”
Vandals have also targeted the nativity scene multiple times, including an incident in mid-December where most of the display was flattened and a statue of the Virgin Mary was smashed and decapitated, according to church officials.
The church updated the display to say that Mary had been beaten and dragged away from her son and was held in immigration detention.
In early December, someone removed Mary and Joseph’s gas masks, as well as the zip ties from the hands of baby Jesus. Snowfall also damaged the statue of Joseph, which the church replaced with a memorial to those afflicted by immigration enforcement along with a sign saying, “Joseph didn’t make it.”
For the past few weeks, only the figure of the baby Jesus — re-ziptied — and the centurions adorned as immigration enforcement agents remained in the display.
But on Christmas Eve, the church placed statues of Mary and Joseph back in the display, now unfettered by gas masks. The zip ties were also removed from Jesus.
The centurions have been redressed as shepherds worshipping Christ. Their old immigration enforcement uniforms were placed in a bin bearing a sign that reads, “Love your neighbor, love your God. Save your soul and quit your job.”
Woolf said he hopes the message of the new display “will be replicated in the world.”
The minister added that immigration enforcement officials “could quit their jobs.”
“We highly recommend it,” he said. “They could care for their souls. What they do, the dehumanization they oversee and they make happen certainly degrades and erodes their humanity, in some sense.”
The church plans to keep the Nativity scene up until the Christian feast day of Epiphany, which is celebrated on Jan. 6.
“It’s a peaceful scene. It’s a celebratory scene,” Woolf said. “It’s one big hallelujah of God’s grace coming into the world.”
