“ICE was here” Nativity at St. Susanna Parish in Dedham sparks church, law-enforcement backlash
A Catholic parish in Dedham, Massachusetts, has sparked controversy with an outdoor Nativity scene bearing an “ICE was here” sign and no Holy Family figures, prompting criticism from the Archdiocese of Boston and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Key takeaways
- Provocative display: St. Susanna’s outdoor manger is empty and paired with a large “ICE was here” sign and a notice directing people to LUCE (617-370-5023). Source: WBUR
- Church response: The Archdiocese of Boston called the installation “politically divisive” and requested it be restored to a sacred purpose. Source: WBUR
- Law-enforcement objections: Local and regional ICE officials say the scene fuels a harmful narrative about the agency and have criticized the implication the family was “taken.” Source: WBUR
- Parish stance: St. Susanna’s leadership describes the display as prophetic witness and intends to keep it despite calls for removal. Source: WBUR
Key information — ICE was here Nativity at St. Susanna Parish, the Dedham Nativity scene
- Location: St. Susanna Parish, Dedham, Massachusetts.
- Display: An outdoor Nativity with the manger empty of figures and a prominent sign reading “ICE was here.” A smaller sign directs visitors: “The Holy Family is safe in our Church … If you see ICE please call LUCE at 617-370-5023.” Source: WBUR
- Reaction: The Archdiocese of Boston called for removal or alteration of the display as a “politically divisive display,” and local/regional ICE leadership criticized it as misrepresenting the agency. Source: WBUR
The display — what parishioners and visitors are seeing
This year’s Dedham Nativity scene departs from traditional creche imagery: the outdoor manger is empty of the Holy Family and is dominated by a large “ICE was here” sign that suggests immigration agents have taken the family. Nearby signage directs concerned visitors to LUCE, a Massachusetts monitoring group for immigration enforcement and the number 617-370-5023. Source: WBUR
Pastor’s intent — why St. Susanna put up the sign
Father Stephen Josoma, pastor at St. Susanna Parish, told reporters he selected the immigration‑themed creche after discussions with refugee families the parish assists from Honduras, Guatemala and Afghanistan. Josoma said many congregants fear stepped‑up deportations and returning to violent conditions; he described the display as reflecting “the context Christmas is happening in this year” and as an attempt to highlight the pain of people with precarious immigration status. Source: WBUR
St. Susanna has a history of using its Nativity to make social and political points — past displays have addressed gun violence, climate change and immigration. In 2018 the parish placed a baby‑Jesus figure in a cage to protest family separation policies. Parish leaders frame these installations as prophetic witness, rooted in the church’s care for migrants and vulnerable people. Source: WBUR
Archdiocese response — restoration of sacred purpose demanded
The Archdiocese of Boston issued a public statement calling the Dedham Nativity “politically divisive” and asking the parish to restore the creche to its “proper sacred purpose.” The archdiocese said St. Susanna did not seek permission and argued church norms prohibit using sacred objects for non‑liturgical political messaging. A spokesman, Terrence Donilon, emphasized that while the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops advocates humane treatment of migrants, dioceses expect sacred spaces to offer prayer rather than partisan statements. Source: WBUR
The archdiocese stressed both support for humane immigration policies and the need for diocese‑wide standards preventing parishes from turning liturgical symbols into political theater — a reflection of broader tension in the American Catholic Church. Source: WBUR
ICE reaction — local leadership objects to the message
Local and regional ICE officials publicly criticized the Dedham Nativity. Reporting indicates New England ICE field leadership described the display as contributing to a “dangerous narrative” about the agency and its officers. Todd Lyons, identified in media accounts as an acting ICE director in the region, reportedly supported the archdiocese’s request to remove or change the display, saying the implication that ICE would “disappear” a family misrepresents the agency and can unfairly demonize officers. Source: WBUR
ICE framed its response as a fairness and accuracy issue toward law‑enforcement personnel and their mission, continuing a pattern of pushback against public art or campaigns that depict officers as predatory or targeting families. Source: WBUR
Local Catholic and lay backlash
Conservative Catholic groups and some parishioners condemned the display. CJ Doyle, head of the Catholic Action League, called the Dedham creche “sacrilegious” political theater and accused Father Josoma of staging “crackpot, publicity stunts.” Doyle said he has been contacted by local residents upset about the display and that his organization has taken up the issue. Critics argue the parish politicized Christmas and exploited sacred imagery to push a left‑leaning policy message. Source: WBUR
Parish response — St. Susanna intends to keep the display
Despite pressure from the archdiocese and complaints from other Catholic leaders, St. Susanna’s leadership says the “ICE was here” sign will remain. Parish officials frame the installation as a legitimate act of prophetic witness grounded in the Gospel call to protect refugees and the marginalized, arguing that public faith witness sometimes requires uncomfortable reminders about suffering and injustice. Source: WBUR
Broader church context — rights, norms and pastoral care
The controversy highlights an internal Church debate: the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and many dioceses press for humane immigration policies, while bishops and diocesan officials often resist turning liturgical symbols into overt political statements. The Archdiocese of Boston’s statement attempts a middle path — uphold human dignity while maintaining norms around sacred objects and respect for law and order. Source: WBUR
Implications for Hesperia, California
The Dedham Nativity fight illustrates how local religious decisions can resonate beyond their original setting. Below are potential effects and actions local leaders in Hesperia might consider if a similar dispute arose.
Economic and social impact
- The dispute can divert attention from local needs — jobs, services and public safety — and affect church attendance and donations.
- Small communities like Hesperia risk polarization when sacred symbols become political flashpoints.
Political consequences
- Conservative readers may be mobilized by archdiocesan and law‑enforcement objections, prompting advocacy or political pressure on clergy and diocesan officials.
- Local politicians could be drawn into debates about norms separating worship from partisan messaging.
Social and cultural effects
- Traditional parishioners in Hesperia may feel alienated if Nativity scenes are used for pointed policy statements, risking internal rifts or attendance shifts.
- Churches mixing political advocacy with worship traditions can face congregation splits or the formation of new, ideologically aligned congregations.
Practical applications
- Pastors and parish councils may review seasonal display policies to avoid controversy; civic leaders and schools might revisit relations with houses of worship.
- Consider separate, clearly marked advocacy events or forums rather than altering liturgical symbols in ways that many parishioners find offensive.
Legal and law-enforcement considerations
- Law-enforcement and civic leaders should prepare factual public messaging to address claims about targeting families and to maintain public trust.
- Clear communication can help prevent misinformation and reduce escalation of community tensions.
Public-interest angle
- The episode underscores the need for community conversations about how faith communities express moral concerns in public, favoring forums and panels over co‑opting sacred art for protest.
