ICE is Planning to Target Spanish-Speaking Churches This Christmas Season

In recent weeks, Spanish-speaking congregations across the United States are experiencing rising fear and confusion linked to possible immigration enforcement targeting church communities.

According to three attorneys inside the Department of Justice, internal briefings have circulated discussing the possibility of enforcement actions at Spanish-language Christian services nationwide. Their concern intensified after a coordinated operation in Charlotte that resulted in 81 arrests — including one on church grounds — raising new questions about whether churches will continue to be treated as protected spaces.

Pastors in multiple New England towns say individuals claiming to be from ICE or the FBI have appeared at their churches asking for member information, including names, home addresses, and attendance records. Other congregations have received unexpected mailers advertising a CBP mobile app connected to “voluntary self-deportation.” Church leaders say these interactions have left families unsure whether it is safe to attend services during the holiday season.

The anxiety has spread far beyond the initial reports. In Atlanta, a viral audio clip predicting large-scale ICE raids sent one small Pentecostal church into panic, and several nearby congregations canceled gatherings for the week.

For many Christians, churches have long been viewed as places of refuge — a basic expectation rooted in both faith tradition and community life. When that safety is uncertain, it affects the entire congregation, especially immigrant families already living with heightened vulnerability.

As Christmas approaches, pastors say many families are entering the season not with a sense of celebration, but with real concern about whether even their worship spaces remain secure. Within our congregations, we are reminded of our responsibility to stand with our brothers and sisters in Christ — especially those most vulnerable.