A Chicago Nativity display at a church in Evanston, Illinois, has drawn national attention and sharp public debate after depicting baby Jesus with zip-tied wrists and guarded by figures styled as US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. The installation, located on the grounds of Lake Street Church, reimagines the biblical Nativity through the lens of modern immigration enforcement and family separation practices.
The infant figure is wrapped in a thin mylar-style emergency blanket similar to those used in detention facilities, while Mary and Joseph appear in gas masks- a reference, the church says, to tear gas deployed during immigration raids and protests. The figures surrounding the manger wear helmets, sunglasses and green vests marked “ICE,” blending imagery of Roman centurions with contemporary law enforcement.
In a statement, the church said the installation is intentionally stark. “This installation is not subtle because the crisis it addresses is not abstract,” leaders wrote. “By placing the Christmas story within the visual language of immigration enforcement and detention, we hope to highlight the disconnect between professed moral values and immigration policies.”
Lake Street Church says the zip ties symbolise an incident earlier this year in which children in a Chicago apartment building- most reportedly US citizens- were temporarily restrained during an immigration raid. Federal authorities have denied that children were zip-tied.
Senior minister Rev. Michael Woolf, who was arrested during a protest outside a federal immigration facility in November, has defended the display as an invitation to reconsider the Holy Family’s experience as refugees. The church argues that the Nativity, at its core, is a story of displacement and sanctuary.
The installation has prompted strong reactions. Critics have labelled the display political, inappropriate, or a misreading of biblical events, while supporters say it powerfully links an ancient narrative to present-day humanitarian concerns. Some commenters praised it as “very strong art,” while others called it disrespectful.
Lake Street Church has staged politically themed Nativity scenes in previous years, including a 2023 installation showing baby Jesus alone among rubble in reference to civilians trapped in Gaza. As with earlier displays, the church maintains that art can spark moral reflection, particularly during the Christmas season.
The Chicago Nativity display remains open to the public and continues to attract both visitors and controversy as debates over immigration enforcement unfold across the United States.
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