Woke church stages Nativity scene with kidnapped baby Jesus to protest ICE

The sign reads, “ICE was here. The Holy Family is safe in the Sanctuary of our Church. If you see ICE, please call LUCE.” Parish pastor Father Stephen Josoma said the move follows a long-standing tradition of using the Nativity to comment on national issues. He told Boston.com that the scene is meant to “hold the mirror up to what’s happening,” adding that concerns over immigration “seemed to be right there in front of us.”

Josoma said the parish has been involved in supporting immigrant and migrant families, including several who attend the church. He claimed that some parishioners could face serious danger if removed from the country. “They’ve done everything that they’re supposed to do, but their status could be in jeopardy,” he said, calling current enforcement “a cruel policy” and arguing the country “can do a lot better.”

The church’s Peace and Justice group, part of Pax Christi, updates the Nativity each year to reflect different issues. Past displays have focused on mass shootings, gun violence, and climate change.

St. Susanna Parish previously made national news in 2018 when its Nativity scene showed baby Jesus in a cage and the three wise men blocked behind a wall, a protest aimed at the Trump administration’s family separation policy at the border.

The church says the Holy Family will return to the manger on Christmas Eve, after the message has been displayed through the Advent season.