Three people were arrested this Thursday, the 22nd, for holding a protest against the United States Immigration and Customs Service (ICE) inside a church in Minnesota last Sunday, the 18th.
According to police, about 30 people invaded and interrupted a religious service at a church where an ICE agent is a pastor, shouting “out with ICE” and “Renee Good”, shot dead by immigration police earlier this month.
Among those detained is lawyer and activist Nekima Levy Armstrong, who calls for the resignation of pastor David Easterwood. She says the dual role of the religious leader represents “fundamental moral conflict.” Easterwood is pastor of Cities Church in Saint Paul, which belongs to the Southern Baptist Convention.
Church lawyers praised Thursday’s arrests. On Monday, the 19th, leaders of the Baptist Convention stated that compassion for immigrant families cannot justify the violation of a sacred space during worship.
On Wednesday, Armstrong accused the Trump administration of trying to “criminalize a peaceful, non-violent protest.”
Minnesota, governed by the Democratic opposition, requested a court order to restrict ICE operations in the state. A hearing on the request is scheduled for next Monday, 26th.
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On the same day as the arrests, US Vice President JD Vance traveled to Minneapolis to meet with ICE agents and “calm things down”, as he stated in a press conference. He further fueled the controversies by defending, according to the opposition, the agent who shot Good.
“Yes, you can demonstrate,” he told city residents who daily protest ICE operations, “but do it peacefully.” The vice president attributed the violence during immigration police operations to the lack of cooperation from local police.
