Church nativity scenes add zip ties, gas masks and ICE to protest immigration raids

Bruna Ferreira, the mother of White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt's nephew, expressed heartbreak over her recent detention by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) during a traffic stop in Massachusetts. Despite being a legal resident under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, Ferreira was taken into custody, raising concerns about the enforcement of immigration policies.

Several churches across the United States have added elements such as zip ties and gas masks to their nativity scenes as a form of protest against immigration raids conducted by ICE. Supporters argue that these displays reflect biblical values, while critics claim they are sacrilegious and politically divisive. The controversy highlights the tension between faith-based expressions and political activism.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is shifting its immigration enforcement strategy from mass raids to focusing on the arrest of illegal immigrants with serious criminal offenses, responding to negative public sentiment regarding Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) actions.

Kilmar Abrego Garcia has been released from ICE custody following a federal judge's ruling that the Trump administration lacked a valid removal order against him. This decision comes after a prolonged period of detention that raised significant legal questions regarding his immigration status.

Nativity scenes across the U.S. are featuring satirical depictions of the Holy Family, including a handcuffed baby Jesus and Mary in a gas mask, as a response to the aggressive immigration policies under President Donald Trump. These displays aim to highlight the plight of immigrants facing harsh treatment from the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency (ICE).

Ya’akub Vijandre, a Muslim photojournalist, has spoken out after being detained by ICE in Georgia, expressing concerns for the safety of his family and friends and describing the harsh treatment of detainees at the facility. He claims that the government is targeting his faith through these actions.

A federal judge issued a temporary restraining order preventing immigration officials from detaining Kilmar Ábrego García, who was recently released from an immigration detention facility in Pennsylvania. This order came just hours before he was to report to an ICE field office in Baltimore, with the judge stating that officials cannot re-detain him until a hearing is held regarding the motion for the restraining order.

Community groups in New York City are mobilizing to protect street vendors from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) amid rising fears of immigration raids. On a frigid December day, staff from the Street Vendor Project distributed information on immigration rights to vendors in the Bronx, who expressed anxiety over recent ICE activities targeting their community.