Kansas City Church Goes Underground to Protect Immigrants from ICE Raids

In a stark illustration of how far the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown has gone, a Kansas City, Kansas church has moved its services underground to protect undocumented immigrants from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids. Grandview Park Presbyterian Church now holds worship in a locked basement, a direct response to the administration’s decision to rescind a Biden-era policy that barred ICE from entering churches, schools, and hospitals.

Senior pastor Rick Behrens told the Kansas Reflector, “It is ironic and shameful, is it not, that the safe spaces we call sanctuaries are no longer safe spaces. Because we are under attack from our own government.” The January 2025 policy reversal by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was justified by officials as necessary to prevent criminals from hiding in protected spaces. A DHS spokesperson told Fox News Digital that ICE does not target churches or schools but may act if a dangerous criminal flees into these locations.

But faith leaders and immigrant advocates see this as a dangerous erosion of sanctuary protections. The church has also become a hub for training volunteers to spot ICE agents, accompany immigrants, and monitor court proceedings. This grassroots resistance comes as Kansas City prepares to host six FIFA World Cup matches this summer, raising fears of increased ICE activity.

Other community leaders have taken similar protective measures. Jess Ferrell of the Center of Grace community center organized volunteers to escort children safely home after receiving a tip about a potential ICE raid during school pickup. “We realized we do not have a way to safely get the kids home with their parents, who are at work, because armed agents might show up and try to kidnap their parents in front of them,” Ferrell explained.

Jacob Poindexter, senior minister at Wichita United Church of Christ, framed the crisis as a moral crossroads: “Which side are you going to be on? Which side are we going to take a risk for? Because you’re taking a risk, no matter which side you choose.”

The community’s resistance is also political. Last year, plans for a new ICE detention center in Kansas City were halted after the city council imposed a five-year ban on permits for non-municipal detention centers following public outcry.

This situation underscores the Trump administration’s broader authoritarian approach to immigration enforcement—weaponizing federal agencies to sow fear and disrupt communities. Churches and schools, once safe havens, are now forced to adapt or face the threat of federal raids. The message is clear: under this administration, no space is truly off-limits to ICE’s overreach.