The disruption of a worship service Sunday at Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota, should concern anyone who values basic civic norms, regardless of where they stand on immigration policy. Protest is a constitutional right. Intimidating people inside a church during a religious service is something very different.
According to video circulating online, a mob of anti-ICE agitators entered Cities Church on Sunday as services were beginning. The protesters chanted “Justice for Renee Good” and “Who needs justice, we need justice” while standing inside the sanctuary. In another clip, the person filming said demonstrators positioned themselves in the middle of the church while a pastor was speaking, describing the act as a “clandestine mission.” The disruption was reportedly based on claims that one of the church’s pastors was affiliated with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Cities Church lists eight pastors in various roles, including David Easterwood, a name that matches that of the acting director of ICE’s St. Paul field office. Fox News Digital has reached out to ICE to verify whether the two individuals are the same person. Regardless of whether the claim turns out to be true, barging into a church service is not how disputes should be addressed.
This incident reflects a troubling escalation in tactics. Protests across the Twin Cities have increasingly moved from public spaces into private or protected ones. Houses of worship occupy a unique place in American life. They are not political arenas, campaign headquarters, or protest stages. They are places where people gather peacefully to pray, reflect, and find community. Crossing that line undermines the credibility of any cause, no matter how strongly its supporters feel.
Federal officials responded swiftly. ICE shared video of the protest, with the Department of Homeland Security stating, “Agitators aren’t just targeting our officers. Now they’re targeting churches, too,” adding that protesters are “going from hotel to hotel, church to church, hunting for federal law enforcement who are risking their lives to protect Americans.” DHS also criticized Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, saying they were responsible for “whipping these mobs into a frenzy and then allowing them to run rampant,” and concluded, “We won’t be deterred. ICE isn’t going anywhere.”
The Department of Justice has opened an investigation to determine whether civil rights laws were violated. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon said the Civil Rights Division is investigating “the potential violations of the federal FACE Act by these people desecrating a house of worship and interfering with Christian worshippers.” Attorney General Pam Bondi added, “Any violation of federal law will be prosecuted.” The White House echoed that message, with Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stating, “President Trump will not tolerate the intimidation and harassment of Christians in their sacred places of worship.”
Mayor Frey, however, defended the broader protests, rejecting claims that they are dangerous or lawless. On CBS’ Face the Nation, he said, “This is not about safety,” arguing that federal enforcement actions have made residents feel targeted rather than protected and emphasizing that people are “speaking up peacefully.”
Peaceful protest is essential in a free society. But storming a church during a worship service is not peaceful expression; it is coercion. If activists want public support, they should draw clear boundaries. Once religious services become fair game for political intimidation, everyone loses, regardless of ideology.
