Illinois church Nativity shows baby Jesus zip-tied by ICE agents

An Illinois religion is facing disapproval for displaying a Nativity country that depicts babe Jesus with his hands zip-tied and guarded by figures styled arsenic Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.

Lake Street Church of Evanston is displaying the country extracurricular connected its grounds. Baby Jesus is wrapped successful a bladed broad resembling aluminum foil, which the religion said is simply a notation to the exigency blankets utilized successful detention facilities. Masked centurions, officers successful the past Roman army, are depicted successful sunglasses and greenish vests labeled "ICE."

It besides shows Mother Mary wearing a respirator disguise "to support herself from teardrop gas," according to the church. Joseph is besides masked. 

In a Facebook station past week, the religion said the installation reimagines the Nativity arsenic a country of forced household separation, drafting parallels betwixt the Holy Family’s exile formation and modern migration detention practices.

EXCLUSIVE: CATHOLIC BISHOPS CHIDED FOR SOWING ‘CONFUSION’ ON DEPORTATIONS STANCE

A politically themed Nativity country astatine Lake Street Church successful Evanston, Illinois, depicts babe Jesus wrapped successful an exigency foil broad with zip-tied wrists. (Fox News; Lake Street Church successful Evanston via Facebook)

"This installation reimagines the nativity arsenic a country of forced household separation, drafting nonstop parallels betwixt the Holy Family's exile acquisition and modern migration detention practices," the station reads.

"‘The Holy Family were refugees. This is not governmental interpretation, this is the world described successful the stories our contented has told and retold for millenia,’" it continues. "‘By witnessing this acquainted communicative done the world faced by migrants today, we anticipation to reconstruct its extremist edge, and to inquire what it means to observe the commencement of a exile kid portion turning distant those who travel successful that child’s footsteps.’"

The church, which besides hangs Black Lives Matter banners and societal justness banners, said the zip ties connected the baby’s wrists straight notation children who were zip-tied by agents during a raid connected a Chicago flat gathering earlier this year. The religion claims astir residents were U.S. citizens successful that incident. It called the show a stark reminder that "enforcement panic does not discriminate by documentation status."

CHICAGO MAYOR CREATES 'ICE-FREE ZONES' TO BLOCK FEDERAL AGENTS FROM CITY PROPERTY

A nighttime presumption of Lake Street Church’s Nativity show successful Evanston, Illinois, which depicts Mary and Joseph alongside centurion-style figures dressed arsenic ICE agents. The religion said the installation draws parallels betwixt the Holy Family’s formation and modern migration enforcement. (Fox News)

In caller days, it appears Mary’s state disguise has been removed, portion the zip ties person been chopped from the babe Jesus’ hands.

The Facebook station and show drew some disapproval and praise from commenters.

"Joseph and Mary went to Bethlehem due to the fact that they had to instrumentality to Joseph's ancestral location to beryllium counted successful the census," 1 idiosyncratic wrote. "So Trump is conscionable pursuing that illustration and sending radical HOME per a ineligible requirement. If they privation to immigrate LEGALLY, they tin capable retired the paperwork earlier they permission and self-deport."

"Blasphemy!!! Father forgive them, they cognize not what they do," different wrote. 

A mannequin representing Mary stands beside ICE-styled centurion figures during a nighttime snowfall astatine Lake Street Church successful Evanston, Illinois. The church’s Nativity country links the biblical communicative to modern migration enforcement practices. (Fox News)

A antithetic commenter argued the religion had misinterpreted the Bible: "The Holy Family were refugees… bash you guys work the Bible? Mary and Joseph travelled arsenic required by Caesar’s census requirement, NOT refugees."

Others supported the display, with 1 idiosyncratic calling it "very almighty art."

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

"Out of each the calamity affecting my community, I’m gladsome almighty creation is being utilized to code the issues that trolls marque amusive of," 1 idiosyncratic wrote. "Hoping much displays similar this travel retired to trigger the masses successful a affirmative way."

Lake Street Church has staged politically themed Nativity scenes before. In 2023, it acceptable up a show showing Baby Jesus unsocial amid rubble arsenic an homage to civilians trapped successful the warfare successful Gaza, according to the Chicago Tribune.

Rev. Michael Woolf, a elder curate astatine Lake Street Church of Evanston, was among 21 radical arrested connected Nov. 14 extracurricular the ICE processing installation successful Broadview, Illinois, per Patch.