Satirical Nativity Displays at American Churches Offer Commentary on Immigration Enforcement

Across the United States, satirical holiday displays are on display that mock aggressive federal immigration enforcement crackdowns. These scenes reimagine the classic Christmas story, portraying the newborn Christ and his parents, Mary and Joseph, as victims affected by the tactics of enforcement agents.

A Stark Retelling in a Chicago Suburb

One powerful installation at a congregation in the Chicago suburb of Evanston features the infant Christ placed within a crib out in the snow. Yet, the doll is wrapped in the kind of emergency blankets often distributed to detainees and has its hands bound with plastic restraints.

Nearby, the statue of Mary stands outside the building, wearing a gas mask. This item has been adopted by activists seeking to guard against tear gas. She is flanked by figures of Roman soldiers, however in this scene they are wearing body armor marked with the letters “ICE.”

An Absent Holy Family

At a different Windy City church, the customary models of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph are conspicuously absent from the traditional display with camels and donkeys and Magi. Instead, a placard carries a direct statement: “Due to enforcement actions in our community the Holy Family is in hiding.”

“Christmas is a period when we have displays in front of the church and we get an opportunity to say something,” said a church leader behind one of the installations.

Messages Spread Across the Country

These artistic statements are extensions of the visible part taken by faith leaders in ongoing demonstrations against federal policies. Similar political exhibits have appeared in multiple states.

In Massachusetts, a parish removed the small statue of Christ from its nativity scene. In its spot was a handmade sign that read: “ICE was here.” The parish are said to have remained firm in the face of criticism from various diocesan and agency leadership.

Connecting Biblical Narrative and Contemporary Issue

For those behind these scenes, presenting the ancient story of Christ’s birth within a modern sociopolitical frame helps bring attention to current administrative priorities. They contend that the holy family’s status as displaced persons mirrors the actual anxieties and realities of many households today, encompassing being torn apart and the removal of working loved ones.

This is not the initial instance congregations have employed Christmas displays for social commentary. In previous years, displays have addressed topics ranging from war to the environmental emergency.

Facing Pushback and Weathering Storms

The messages are not always widely accepted. A clergy member participating noted that some critics either misinterpret the message or “consider it very difficult to their sense of right and wrong and are reacting negatively at the art rather than engaging with what the actual message is.”

In a physical way, the weather have also affected one display. At another church, the figure of St. Joseph was blown down in a windstorm and could not be restored. A replacement sign now occupies the space, declaring: “Joseph didn’t make it. We keep this place to memorialize all the those affected of enforcement actions.”