A violent mob of anti-ICE protesters stormed into a church sanctuary during Sunday worship services, targeting a pastor they alleged was secretly running federal immigration operations while delivering sermons.
When Sanctuary Becomes Target
The January 18, 2026 disruption of Cities Church transformed what should have been a peaceful Sunday morning into a political battleground. Protesters organized by Black Lives Matter Minnesota entered the sanctuary mid-service, positioning themselves in the center aisle to chant slogans while congregants watched in apparent shock. The group specifically targeted pastor David Easterwood, whom they accused of simultaneously serving as the acting director of ICE’s St. Paul field office.
The timing was no coincidence. Just weeks earlier, Renee Good, a 37-year-old mother of three, was fatally shot by an ICE agent during enforcement operations in Minneapolis. Court documents revealed Easterwood had filed an affidavit defending ICE’s controversial tactics, including the use of license plate swaps, chemical irritants, and flash-bang grenades against protesters.
Oh, you won’t believe this one, a pastor in Saint Paul had his church service disrupted by protesters because it turns out he’s working directly with ice.
David Easterwood should be banished from the church for life because Jesus would not be on the side of ICE. pic.twitter.com/DyqQI7VydW
— MAGA Cult Slayer🦅🇺🇸 (@MAGACult2) January 19, 2026
Federal Response Swift and Uncompromising
Attorney General Pam Bondi wasted no time launching a federal investigation into the church disruption. The Department of Justice cited potential violations of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act, which protects houses of worship from intimidation and obstruction. Deputy Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon condemned what she called the “desecrating of a house of worship,” while White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt vowed the administration would show “no tolerance” for church intimidation.
The federal response highlighted the stark divide between the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement priorities and local Democratic leadership. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem directly blamed Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey for fueling anti-ICE sentiment that she claimed escalated into “hunting” federal law enforcement officers.
Local Leaders Defend Community Response
Mayor Jacob Frey pushed back against federal criticism during his appearance on CBS Face the Nation, characterizing the protests as “peaceful” community responses to ICE operations that were “terrorizing” immigrant neighborhoods. Governor Walz has similarly defended residents’ rights to voice concerns about federal enforcement tactics they view as excessive and dangerous.
Black Lives Matter organizer Miski Armstrong, herself an ordained reverend, challenged the theological priorities at stake. She questioned how worship services could proceed normally while the pastor allegedly oversaw what protesters called “atrocities” against immigrant families. BLM’s Monique Cullars-Doty dismissed the DOJ investigation as “misguided,” arguing that accountability for ICE actions took precedence over traditional sanctuary protections.
Escalating Pattern of Confrontation
The church disruption represents the latest escalation in a pattern of increasingly direct confrontations with ICE personnel. Protesters have previously tracked federal agents to hotels, demanded identification from drivers based on license plates, and physically blocked enforcement vehicles. DHS officials describe these tactics as a coordinated campaign to intimidate law enforcement officers by targeting them in their personal and professional lives.
The dual identity allegations against Easterwood underscore the complex relationships between faith communities and immigration enforcement. While church websites and ICE biographies appear to match, federal agencies have not explicitly confirmed the pastor’s role in immigration operations, leaving questions about the protesters’ targeting rationale.
Sources:
Protesters Storm Minnesota Church Amid ICE Tensions
DOJ Probing Protesters Group That Disrupted Services at Church with ICE Pastor
Anti-ICE Mob Storms Minnesota Church Over Pastor’s Alleged Ties to Immigration Enforcement
DOJ Launches Civil Rights Investigation After Minnesota Agitators Allegedly Storm Church