Washington/New Delhi, Jan 19: President Donald Trump strongly condemned the disruption at Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota, where anti ICE demonstrators entered the sanctuary during a Sunday worship service. The President emphasized that federal authorities will not tolerate interference with religious worship.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated on X:
“President Trump will not tolerate the intimidation and harassment of Christians in their sacred places of worship. The Department of Justice has launched a full investigation into the despicable incident that took place earlier today at a church in Minnesota.”
Videos circulated online showed protesters chanting slogans such as “Justice for Renee Good” and “ICE out”, confronting worshippers over claims that one of the church’s pastors holds a senior role in US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The demonstration follows national protests sparked by the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good, intensifying tensions between federal agencies and local communities.
The Department of Justice has opened a civil rights investigation to determine if federal laws were violated, including whether demonstrators “desecrated a house of worship and interfered with Christian worshippers,” citing the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) also condemned the protest, warning that agitators were targeting churches in addition to federal officers, and criticised local authorities for failing to maintain order.
In contrast, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey defended the demonstrators, calling the protests a peaceful response to federal enforcement actions and asserting that large federal operations have left some communities feeling targeted rather than protected.
The incident underscores rising tensions across the Minneapolis St. Paul area as federal enforcement and local advocacy clash, prompting a high profile DOJ probe into potential civil rights violations.