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A mob of anti-ICE agitators stormed a church Sunday in St. Paul, Minnesota, interrupting a worship service after protesters claimed a pastor inside was affiliated with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Video shows agitators chanting “Justice for Renee Good” inside the sanctuary at Cities Church as the service began, raising concerns among law enforcement and religious leaders about protesters targeting houses of worship amid escalating anti-ICE demonstrations across the Twin Cities.
In one video circulating online, agitators can be heard chanting, “Justice for Renee Good,” and “Who needs justice, we need justice,” as they stood inside the church during the service.
In another clip, the person filming says demonstrators positioned themselves in the middle of the sanctuary as the pastor was speaking. The person filming then described the disruption as a “clandestine mission” and claimed agitators had just learned one of the pastors at the church was connected to ICE.
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Anti-ICE protesters stormed a St. Paul church mid-service over alleged ICE ties, prompting a DOJ civil rights probe and sharp criticism from DHS. (Google Maps)
Cities Church lists eight pastors of varying roles, including David Easterwood, who shares the same name as the acting director of ICE’s St. Paul field office.
Digital has reached out to ICE to verify whether the two individuals are the same person.
ICE shared one of the videos of the protest inside the church that circulated widely on social media Sunday.
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Community members confront federal agents after an immigration raid that resulted in detentions and followed the fatal ICE shooting of Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Jan. 13, 2026. (Tim Evans/Reuters)
“Agitators aren’t just targeting our officers. Now they’re targeting churches, too,” DHS said in the post. “They’re going from hotel to hotel, church to church, hunting for federal law enforcement who are risking their lives to protect Americans.”
DHS then called out Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, saying they are responsible for “whipping these mobs into a frenzy and then allowing them to run rampant.”
“We won’t be deterred,” DHS said. “ICE isn’t going anywhere.”
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The Department of Justice has opened an investigation into the church protest to determine whether civil rights laws were violated.
“The @CivilRights is investigating the potential violations of the federal FACE Act by these people desecrating a house of worship and interfering with Christian worshippers,” Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, said.
Frey has defended the protests, pushing back on federal officials who have described the demonstrations as dangerous or lawless and rejecting claims that state and local leaders are responsible for fueling unrest.
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Appearing on CBS’ Face the Nation on Sunday, Frey rejected the Trump administration’s characterization of the immigration crackdown in Minnesota, arguing the surge of federal agents has made residents feel targeted rather than protected.
“This is not about safety. What this is about is coming into our city by the thousands and terrorizing people simply because they’re Latino or Somali,” Frey said. “People in Minneapolis are speaking up. They’re speaking up peacefully. They’re standing up for their neighbors. And this is not just about resisting Trump. This is about loving and caring for the people that call this city home. And it’s been inspiring.”
