Protests Ignite Over ICE Pastor's Church in Minnesota

Wed Jan 21 2026 05:42:18 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

The U.S. Department of Justice launches an investigation into protests targeting a church in St. Paul, where a pastor serves as the local ICE chief amid rising immigration tensions.

A protest group disrupted services at Cities Church in St. Paul, alleging that one of its pastors, David Easterwood, oversees ICE operations accused of carrying out violent tactics. The U.S. Department of Justice announced it would investigate potential civil rights violations amid the protests, which called for justice following the fatal shooting of a mother by an ICE agent. Protesters like Nekima Levy Armstrong emphasize the moral contradictions of a church leader involved in immigration enforcement, while ICE claims their agents are being targeted.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Recent protests erupted at Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota, where activists accused a church pastor, who is also the local head of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), of overseeing aggressive immigration enforcement tactics. Protesters interrupted church services with chants of “ICE out” and “Justice for Renee Good”, in reference to the tragic death of a mother shot by an ICE agent earlier this month.

The U.S. Department of Justice is now investigating these demonstrations, with Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon labeling them as potential civil rights violations. She stated on social media, A house of worship is not a public forum for your protest!

Activists like Nekima Levy Armstrong, leading the local civil rights organization, criticized the DOJ's focus, asserting that the real issue lies with ICE’s conduct in the community. When you think about the federal government unleashing barbaric ICE agents... it is unfathomable to have someone overseeing these agents serving as a pastor, she noted.

While the church did not respond to queries, the DOJ's investigation may highlight deeper community tensions surrounding immigration policies and enforcement practices in the U.S.