Churches are holding empty services because people are too afraid of ICE agents barging in to arrest refugees and immigrants

The Rev. Emma Lozano (L) holds a Spanish language service with Student Pastor Cecilia Garcia at Lincoln United Methodist Church to a virtual congregation on February 02, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. Five weeks ago the church, which has a long history of immigrant rights activism, stopped having in-person Spanish-language services because of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity around the church, which is in a predominately Hispanic neighborhood, and because the church said it had been receiving threats from “MAGA” people.

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