Protest at Minnesota Church Service Adds to Tensions Over ICE Tactics [View all]

[Coventina]

Protesters interrupted a Sunday church service in St. Paul, Minn., over a pastor’s apparent work as an Immigration and Customs Enforcement official, escalating tensions between Minnesota residents and the Trump administration after an immigration agent shot and killed a woman in Minneapolis.

Videos posted on social media show protesters chanting at the Cities Church — including calls for “ICE out” — and bringing the service to a halt. Congregants are seen moving to leave the church as the chants continue and worship music begins to play.

The protest at the church was organized by Nekima Levy Armstrong, a civil rights lawyer. She said she wanted to draw attention to a church leader, David Easterwood, who also appears to be the acting director of ICE’s field office for enforcement and removal operations in St. Paul, and who is named in a lawsuit challenging aggressive enforcement tactics.

The church, Mr. Easterwood and Jonathan Parnell, the lead pastor leading service on Sunday, did not immediately respond to calls or requests for comment. It was unclear whether Mr. Easterwood was present in the church during the protest on Sunday.

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/19/us/politics/minnesota-church-protest-ice.html

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I am extremely hostile toward churches of this kind. However, I do not think the protestors should have gone inside.
They should have limited their protest to outside the church.