Evanston Faith Communities Lead Bold Resistance Against ICE Raids

When Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents descended on Evanston during the Trump administration’s Operation Midway Blitz, local faith communities didn’t retreat in fear. Instead, they mobilized swiftly and decisively to protect immigrant residents targeted by these raids.

The First Congregational Church of Evanston made its stance clear from the start, plastering signs on its walls that read “ICE cannot enter here” and “Immigrants are welcome, ICE is not.” Senior pastor Jason Coulter emphasized that their congregation is committed to being a sanctuary and ally, willing to take risks to defend vulnerable community members. “We think that is part of the way we live our faith in the public square, by practicing our values in real time,” Coulter said.

Lake Street Church of Evanston went further, openly declaring itself a sanctuary in January 2025 and offering short-term emergency shelter to immigrants facing deportation threats. This defiance came despite the Trump administration’s 2024 announcement stripping churches and schools of their traditional protections as off-limits to ICE agents.

While churches cannot legally bar ICE agents from entering public spaces, private areas such as clergy offices remain protected without a warrant, explained Rev. Michael Nabors of Second Baptist Church. When ICE shows up, the plan is to move those at risk into these safe zones. Beyond sanctuary, Evanston churches have dedicated themselves to raising awareness and connecting immigrants to critical resources. Pastor Caleen Howard of Evanston Church of God described their efforts to educate and support the community as meeting “the felt needs” where people hurt the most.

The resistance goes beyond sanctuary walls. An emergency phone line set up by Evanston clergy allows immediate alerts when ICE agents are spotted, prompting rapid community protests. During a late October raid, this system rallied about 200 people to confront ICE presence and demand accountability.

Nabors praised the unusual unity among Evanston’s diverse religious groups, calling their interfaith cooperation “more than any other part of the city.” This collective action illustrates how faith communities are becoming vital centers of resistance against the Trump administration’s authoritarian immigration tactics.

Evanston’s example exposes the growing grassroots backlash to ICE’s overreach and the administration’s efforts to dismantle sanctuary protections. These churches are not just places of worship—they are battlegrounds for human rights and dignity in an era of escalating government attacks on immigrants.