Tag: ice

Two Words for Kristi Noem

~ Bruce Ray ~ 1 Comment

To justify the murder of Alex Pretti, Kristi Noem made the following observation: “I don’t know of any peaceful protester that shows up with a gun and ammunition rather than a sign.” I have two words for her:

“Kyle Rittenhouse”

Remember Kyle? He was the 17-year-old who roamed the streets of Kenosha, WI, brandishing an AR-style weapon during the protests following the murder of Jacob Blake by a Kenosha police officer in April 2020. He explained that he brought the gun to Kenosha to assist law enforcement with protecting businesses during the protests. In the course of events, he used the weapon to kill 2 of the protestors “in self-defense”. He was exonerated.

I guess it’s OK to bring a gun to a protest if you are bringing it to support law enforcement and kill protesters.

Unfortunately, we will never hear Alex Pretti’s explanation why he brought his handgun to the protest, even though he had every legal right to do so, and even though he never brandished the weapon, fired the weapon or killed anyone. But somehow, members of the Trump administration knew everything about his motives, his intentions and the outcomes had agents–some not much older than Kyle Rittenhouse–not shot him 10 times and killed him.

Alex Pretti was a domestic terrorist (Kristi Noem), an assassin (Stephen Miller) who intended to “massacre law enforcement” (Gregory Bovino) and who had “arrived on the scene stop a law enforcement operation and inflict maximum damage on individuals” (Kristi Noem). That’s the administration’s narrative, and they are sticking to it.

There’s just one problem. The narrative is false. It is a lie–and not just a lie. It is pre-meditated deceitful words told to discredit and defame Alex Pretti. This fabrication of “facts” is the pattern of this administration. We witnessed it when an ICE agent shot and wounded Marimar Martinez on October 6, 2025 for allegedly “assaulting federal officers with a deadly weapon” (her car). She was a “domestic terrorist.” We witnessed it after Renee Good’s execution by ICE because she supposedly attempted to run over an agent with her car. She also was a “domestic terrorist.” We have now witnessed the pattern again after the execution of “domestic terrorist” Alex Pretti. See the pattern? Aim and fire. Blame and defame the victim. Claim to be “the Real Victims.” Exonerate the agent(s). Repeat.

The Psalmist, David, who experienced false charges and character assassination, wrote his accusers: “Your tongue plots destruction, like a sharp razor, working deceit. You love evil instead of good, lying rather than speaking right. You love only devouring words—treacherous tongue!” Psalm 52:4-6. Sound familiar?

Alex Pretti wasn’t killed because he had a gun; he was killed because he had the audacity to expose the truth about ICE tactics and cruelty. I believe he was also killed to remind everyone who witnessed it that ICE has unregulated power and will use it however they want and against whomever they want–especially those who would dare to get in their way.

But we know the truth. So, I have five additional words for Kristi Noem (and the rest of the administration’s tools):

WE DO NOT BELIEVE YOU.

When Disruption is Necessary

~ Bruce Ray ~ Leave a comment

On Sunday, January 18, a group of about 30 people joined the worship service at Cities Church in St. Paul, MN. The church is a member congregation of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) with close ties to Christ Church DC, the congregation Pete Hegseth attends when in Washington.

Midway through the service, the group, led by Nekima Levy Armstrong, an ordained minister and community activist, interrupted the service with chants of “Justice for Renee Good” and “ICE Out.” In an interview with the Washington Post, Levy Armstrong said that the disruption was aimed at David Easterwood, who is listed on the church’s website as a Pastor of the church. Easterwood is also the acting director of the local field office of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). In a court filing submitted on January 5, he wrote that federal agents were experiencing increased threats and aggression and crowd control devices like flashbang grenades were important to protect against violent attacks. He also defended ICE’s tactics in Minnesota such as swapping license plates and spraying protesters with chemical irritants. (source)

In an interview with Democracy Now, Levy Armstrong stated: “I believe that if someone professes to represent the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to preach it, that they should not be allowing ICE agents to drag people out of their homes, cut women out of seat belts in their cars and drag them out, bust down doors, bust out car windows, bring people out half-naked in the freezing cold to detain them, taking trophy pictures with Black men and others that they’ve apprehended in their homes, scaring children, tear-gassing children and families, almost killing a 6-month-old through the use of high-powered, military-grade weapons such as flashbang grenades and very strong tear gas…. It’s delusional to pretend that there [isn’t] a significant problem with David Easterwood serving as a pastor and as the overseer of ICE and defending their conduct….”

The response to the incident has been swift and loud–and overwhelmingly supportive of the Cities Church and its lead pastor, Jonathan Parnell.

The Minnesota-Wisconsin Baptist Convention, of which Cities Church is a member, issued a statement calling the disruption ”an unacceptable trauma,”

Kevin Ezell, president of the SBC’s North American Mission Board, wrote: “No cause — political or otherwise — justifies the desecration of a sacred space or the intimidation and trauma inflicted on families gathered peacefully in the house of God, What occurred was not protest; it was lawless harassment.”

Albert Mohler, the president of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, weighed in on his podcast. “For Christians, the precedent of invading a congregation at worship should be unthinkable,” He also cited Romans 13 to defend ICE, saying the agents should “be recognized for their authority and for the legitimacy of their mission.”

The US Government also took action in defense of the church. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt tweeted: “President Trump will not tolerate the intimidation and harassment of Christians in their sacred places of worship.” Then, on Thursday, FBI Director Kash Patel announced that Levy Armstrong and two other protesters had been arrested, jailed and charged with violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act, which prohibits interference or intimidation of “any person by force, threat of force, or physical obstruction exercising or seeking to exercise the First Amendment right of religious freedom at a place of religious worship. (Note: on Friday, all three people were released from jail by order of a federal judge.)

When Vice-president JD Vance visited Minneapolis on that same day, he delivered a stern warning to the people of Minnesota:“Respect people’s rights, respect people’s rights to worship, respect people’s rights to do their job without being assaulted. If you follow that basic principle, the Trump administration is going to do everything that we can to protect your rights. But if you go after somebody, if you assault somebody, if you make a 9-year-old girl cry because you walked into her church and harassed her, we’re going to go after you with every single tool that we have.” .While he said that mistakes may have been made by individual officers, he offered no apologies and said nothing about ICE agents shooting protesters, harassing schools, using chemical irritants on young people or traumatizing a 5-year-old boy.

And that’s my issue. Why haven’t church leaders demanded accountability for ICE brutality? Where were the church leaders when the government announced in January 2025 that federal immigration agencies could make arrests in churches, schools and hospitals–locations that had always been considered protected? Where was the outrage when ICE agents detained Tampa, FL, pastor Maurilio Ambrocio in April 2025 when he appeared for a routine check-in with ICE or when pastor’s wife Maria Isidro was deported to Mexico on June 11, 2025. And where will church leaders be today following the fatal shooting of a second US citizen in Minneapolis by ICE agents under the direction of Pastor David Easterwood. Silence is complicity. Outright support of ICE’s indiscriminate cruelty is morally and theologically indefensible.

Disruption becomes necessary when the Church colludes with cruelty and lawlessness while sanctimoniously claiming that it is being persecuted for righteousness and is in need of legal protection. Disruption is necessary when the church perpetuates injustice. As historian (and a person of Christian faith) Jamar Tisby pointed out on his Footnotes podcast, there is a long history of church disruptors..

Imagine the prophet Isaiah standing at the temple gates and saying, “Stop bringing meaningless offerings! Your incense is detestable to me. New Moons, Sabbaths and convocations—I cannot bear your worthless assemblies. Your New Moon feasts and your appointed festivals I hate with all my being. They have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them. When you spread out your hands in prayer, I hide my eyes from you; even when you offer many prayers, I am not listening. Your hands are full of blood!” (Isaiah 1:13-15 [NIV])

Imagine the reaction when the Prophet Amos stood up and said, “I hate, I despise your religious festivals; your assemblies are a stench to me. Even though you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Though you bring choice fellowship offerings, I will have no regard for them. Away with the noise of your songs! I will not listen to the music of your harps. But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!“

We know the reaction of the temple leaders when Jesus disrupted “religious business as usual,” turning over tables of the money changers and driving out the vendors of sacrificial animals.”

Tisby also recounts the church disruptions known as “Kneel-ins” used by civil rights activists from 1960 – 1965. One of the most significant “kneel-ins” occurred on Palm Sunday 1964, when an integrated group of students entered the Sunday worship service at Second Presbyterian Church in Memphis to protest the church’s policy of segregation. They didn’t chant; they didn’t rant; but they did disrupt just by entering the church. The group returned for 8 Sundays, forcing the church to reconsider its policy and allow the integration of its service. This led to a church- split in 1965 over the issue with those wanting to maintain segregation forming the Independent Presbyterian Church, but change ultimately happened. Forty-five years later, a new generation of church leaders at Independent Presbyterian Church, made the decision to address its past and entered a time of reckoning through prayer and corporate repentance. You can read more about the history of the”Kneel-ins” HERE.

Disruption is uncomfortable–even traumatic–because it challenges the status quo.. But as we have learned from history, church disruption can result in either steadfast resistance against change or humble reflection and reformation. Sadly, what we’ve seen in the initial reactions to the disruption in St. Paul, MN, is resistance. While we may disagree with the tactics used to challenge church complicity with ICE and participation in the harm done to families and communities throughout Minnesota though one of its leaders, we should not–WE MUST NOT–vilify those who have been bold enough to raise the issue. And we must not conflate disruption with violence or lawlessness.

“The question isn’t whether disruption belongs in church. The question is whether the Church still belongs to a God who overturns tables. The church more offended by disruption than suffering has already chosen its God.” –Jemar Tisby.

Dangerous ICE-y Conditions

~ Bruce Ray ~ Leave a comment

And I’m not talking about the frigid temperatures and storm predictions.

What is happening in Minnesota is beyond inhumane. It is insane. Someone may accuse me of being biased and subjective, but we now have learned that the video-taped action of ICE agents breaking down the door of the home of ChongLy “Scott” Thao, a US citizen, and removing him from the home in nothing but his underwear and crocs (and handcuffs)–all without a judicial warrant, was not the act of a few rogue ICE officers. It was the implementation of prescribed tactics and training authorized by ICE and DHS leadership.

Yesterday, the Associated Press obtained a copy of an internal 24-page ICE memo. The memo, signed by Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons on May 21, 2025, authorizes its agents to use force to enter a residence based on an “administrative warrant” (one signed not by a judge but by an ICE administrator) to arrest someone with a final order of removal.

As a citizen of the United States, Mr. Thao should have had the protection of the 4th Amendment of the US Constitution, which states: “The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probably cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be search and the persons or things to be seized.”

The probable cause claimed by ICE that permitted agents to break down Mr. Thao’s door was a suspicion that two men with criminal convictions were residing in the house. The only people in the house witnessing ICE agents break into the house with guns drawn were Thao’s daughter-in-law and his 4-year-old grandson.

Whether you live in Minneapolis, Indianapolis, Annapolis, or any other polis (Greek word meaning ‘city’), this incident and ICE’s extrajudicial memo should send chills down your spine. Citizenship is no longer a protection. The rights outlined in the US Constitution are no longer guaranteed. The guardrails of rules-based law enforcement no longer apply to federal agents who can act illegally with impunity.

Unless we demand that our elected leaders step up to demand accountability and place tough restrictions on ICE leadership, you can be sure that your state and your city will experience the same trauma as Minnesota or worse. Your door may be next.

The Stories We Believe

~ Bruce Ray ~ Leave a comment

“Do not give false testimony against your neighbor.” Exodus 20:16 (Christian Standard Bible)

I live in Chicago, “the most dangerous city in America” according to the president of the United States. He has repeatedly called Chicago “a hellhole” and accused our mayor, Brandon Johnson, of being “grossly incompetent.” Because the city is–in the president’s words–“out of control” and a “war zone,” he was obligated to send National Guard troops (from Texas) to bring order to the chaos on our streets and “make the city safe again.” The story of Chicago’s rampant violence was repeated by others in his administration including FBI Director, Kash Patel and Department of Homeland Security Secretary, Kristi Noem. In October 2025, the White House posted a video on social media, depicting the “mess” in Chicago that ICE and Homeland Security were cleaning up. An AFP investigation reviewed the video, and discovered that it pieced together outdated footage highlighting drug busts, arrests and deportation raids in other states, including Florida, Texas, South Carolina and Nebraska.. Only a few clips were actually from raids in Chicago.

THIS ADMINISTRATION GAVE FALSE TESTIMONY ABOUT CRIME IN CHICAGO.. The truth is that ALL crime in Chicago dropped significantly in 2025. Most significantly, the number of murders fell 29% from 2024, and shootings were down 35%. According to Block Club Chicago (a local independent news organization), there were 416 murders in Chicago last year–a 60-year low! And the National Guard had nothing to do with the drop in crime. They were never deployed to the streets of Chicago. .

But people–sincere people, I’m sure–believe the false testimony.

The false testimony of this administration is not an anomaly; it is a pattern.

  • All immigrants are characterized as “pedophiles, rapists, abusers, armed robbers, murderers, and violent thugs” — the “worst of the worst.” Peaceful protesters are labeled “rioters” and “paid agitators.” According to ICE data (as reported by CBS News Chicago), only 3% of the people arrested and detained in Operation Midway Blitz in Chicago and surrounding suburbs had been convicted of a violent crime, and almost 80% had never been charged with a crime.
  • Every small boat in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific is said to be delivering drugs to the US. Every Venezuelan is a suspected member of the drug cartel, Tren de Aragua. The videos of their deaths are shared freely, but no evidence is given in support of Department of War claims.
  • And this week, US citizen, veteran and devout Christian Renee Nicole Good was killed by an ICE agent in Minneapolis. Immediately–without a shred of evidence–the administration labeled her a “domestic terrorist” who was part of a “radical-left network.” ICE and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents were depicted as heroes who are doing the job of “keeping our streets safe.” Anyone who opposes ICE and CBP is assumed to be a “leftist lunatic.”

And people–good people, Christian people, I’m sure–believe the false testimony.

But why? Why do good, sincere, Christian people accept the falsehoods as fact without question or reservation? Have they lost the ability to discern truth from false testimony? It would seem.

I recently read a social media post from a Christian grappling with what happened in Minneapolis that confirmed my suspicion. In the post, the writer made the following assessment: “He (the ICE agent) could have done better but so could she(Renee Good).” This was followed by an assumption: “Was she right? No. Was he making a good choice? Of course not, but it will go through due process…(because) that’s what’s great about America… We get that chance for fair trial and truth will be investigated to the full extent.”. Then the writer confessed: “I don’t speak out on political things at all, but I follow and listen to all sides to find what is the same and what is different because the stories that follow the same narrative will have more truth than the ones who have different narratives.”

Three things struck me as I read the post:

  1. There was a “both sides are at fault” assessment–without recognizing the power dynamics at play. ICE and CBP agents have more power in the situation. They have the backing of the Federal Government and they have lethal weapons.. Renee Good, a citizen, had only her words and a drivers license (and maybe a whistle). Those with greater power have greater responsibility and should be held to greater accountability.
  2. There was the assumption that the truth would be revealed through a “full and fair” investigation. Given that the FBI has already refused to allow local law enforcement access to the investigation, it is reasonable to suspect that the outcome of their investigation may not be fully transparent or accurate.
  3. Finally, there is the assumption that truth can be discerned by following the most consistent story. This is dangerous reasoning since we know this administration consistently distorts the truth in interviews and social media to support its own agenda, ensuring that their message is repeated and reposted. Again, the pattern of giving and repeating false testimony should give us pause about accepting the loudest voices as the most truthful. The better question we need to ask is, “Are the sources of the narratives trust-worthy?” In this case, Kristi Noem and J.D. Vance announced the “true” story about Renee Good just moments after the shots were fired and before any investigation could begin, and then they doubled down on their story even after video and eye-witness accounts challenged their narrative.

Discernment is not just about listening. It is about testing the message and trusting the messenger. Heed the warning from 1 John 4:1. “My dear friends, don’t believe everything you hear. Carefully weigh and examine what people tell you. Not everyone who talks about God comes from God. There are a lot of lying preachers loose in the world.” (The Message) And as Jesus reminded his disciples, “You’ll recognize them by their fruit.” (Matthew 7:16)

Renee Good’s last words to the ICE agent were, “I’m not mad at you.” The ICE agent’s last words to her recorded on his cell phone video were: “Fucking Bitch.” Discern that.

“Invasion”

~ Bruce Ray ~ 2 Comments

October 3 was my birthday, but my celebration was overshadowed by terrible events in Chicago neighborhoods–including incidents just blocks from our church property.. Some of you have reached out to see if we are OK, and I appreciate your concern. Honestly, I would prefer that you reach out to your representatives and senators and demand an end to the lawless and provocative tactics of ICE in Chicago, Chicago suburbs and beyond.

We have experienced nothing less than an invasion of militarized ICE agents. For the past 3 weeks, ICE has been detaining dozens of people–most of them who have no criminal record. But on my birthday, ICE agents deployed teargas in our streets, ransacked an apartment building in the middle of the night, separated children from their parents and placed them in zip-ties, and shot rubber bullets at peaceful protesters. Happy birthday to me! I would have preferred a spray of flowers over pepper spray.

Even US citizens have been caught in their indiscriminate dragnets. Agents handcuffed Alderperson Jessie Fuentes in a hospital emergency room simply for asking agents if they had a judicial warrant for a man who was being treated. Of course, they did not. Jessie is a friend. It broke my heart watching her be mistreated for exercising her constitutional rights and protecting her constituents from unlawful detention.

Since the beginning of “Operation Midway Blitz”, Latin@ parents are afraid to walk their children to school, Latin@ workers are afraid to go to their jobs. Latin@ citizens are carrying passports and REAL IDs out of fear that they will be stopped simply because they are brown.

All of these unlawful and immoral acts have been verified as factual, The stories are not “fake news.” Let me be clear: these acts do not increase safety and security in my neighborhood. Instead, they increase fear, sow mistrust, create chaos and escalate violence. The Administration would convince you that Chicago (and other cities with Democratic mayors of color) are riddled with criminal activity, and that only solution for restoring “law and order” to the streets is use of military power. It is deception used to justify taking control of the city. Our streets were just fine until ICE showed up.

Today, the Federal government further escalated the tension in our city. Four hundred National Guard arrived from the state of Texas to “protect ICE agents and federal buildings” in Chicago and the state of Illinois. Governor J.B. Pritzker–who has never requested federal help or deployment of the National Guard–called it “Trump’s Invasion.”

Do not listen to Karoline Leavitt. She quotes statistics to reinforce racist tropes and urban criminality. Listen to the people on the ground. Right now, the only lawless criminals I see are the ones who wear street clothing and cover their faces, openly carry weapons, and terrorize our neighborhoods looking for anyone who doesn’t look like Chip.*

But Chip better watch out too. ICE doesn’t like journalists or people who protect their neighbors (aka “the enemy within”)..

Please pray for Chicago–and every other city threatened by ICE–cities like Portland, Memphis, New Orleans, Baltimore, Philadelphia and more to be named. And please do more than pray. Stand up for basic human rights and human dignity. Our faith demands it.

*This is a reference to an interview of US Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino by NPR reporter Chip Mitchell, who asked, “How can you tell [if someone is an ‘illegal alien’] by appearance?” Bovino then asked the reporter his name and responded, “How do they appear in relation to what you or other people look like?” Governor Pritzker accused Bovino’s agents of “harassing people for not being white.” You can read the entire transcript of Chip Mitchell’s interview HERE. BTW, Chip is white.

Mishandling the Word of Truth – Part 3

~ Bruce Ray ~ Leave a comment

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me.” Isaiah 6:8

This verse is the culmination of Isaiah’s call to his prophetic ministry. God is looking for someone who will speak on God’s behalf to the people of Israel and Judah. After experiencing the overwhelming majestic presence of God in a vision and receiving the assurance of God’s touch of forgiveness and grace, Isaiah volunteers to join God’s mission.

This Bible verse is now being used in a video posted on X by the Department of Homeland Security to recruit Border Patrol officers and ICE agents to participate in the mission to capture, detain, and deport migrants who have crossed into the United States. Though the video can no longer be viewed at the DHS website (due to copyright infringement), it was watched 2.8 million times. The video can be viewed HERE.

Inclusion of the Bible verse in a recruitment video suggests that protecting the United States from the invasion of foreigners is a God-ordained mission, and stepping up to participate in the mission is a high spiritual calling—an act of spiritual devotion.

This is yet another example of “Mishandling the Word of Truth.” The mission promoted by the DHS is completely opposite of the mission God gave to Isaiah. Instead being sent to protect Israel’s borders or to round up and deport foreigners, Isaiah was sent to the leaders of Israel and Judah to rebuke them for their failure to act justly toward the poor, the vulnerable and the refugee and to announced God’s impending judgment—judgment that would remove them from the land into exile.

Stopping migrants from crossing the border or chasing down and incarcerating undocumented farm workers is NOT a godly mission commanded by God or commended by God. God condemns the nation that “makes unjust laws and issues oppressive decrees to deprive the poor of their rights and withhold justice from the oppressed, making widows their prey and robbing the fatherless.” (Isaiah 10:1-2).

The distorted use of Scripture by the current administration to justify injustice and promote cruelty under the banner of righteousness should offend every Christian. It is blasphemy. And if we fail to discern the Scripture twisting and fail to call it out, we will fall under the judgment Isaiah announced to those who have ears, but do not hear.

Whoever has ears, let them hear.

Coming Soon to a City Near You

~ Bruce Ray ~ Leave a comment

The images of armed National Guard troops and armored military vehicles entering McArthur Park in Los Angeles on Monday morning sent chills down my spine. There had been no riot. There had been no armed uprising. But according to the Department of Defense, the troops were present at the park to “ensure the safety of federal agents.” The Department of Homeland Security called the takeover of McArthur Park part of “ongoing enforcement operations.” Los Angeles Mayor, Karen Bass, called the show of military force “absolutely outrageous” and “un-American”, designed to “strike fear into the heart of the city.” It worked. It was scary.

Then, in Chicago on Tuesday afternoon, Homeland Security agents attempted to gain access to the National Puerto Rican Museum in Humboldt Park. The agents were denied access after they did not show any identification, present warrants or answer questions on why they were on the private property. There was speculation that they were making plans for upcoming festivals in Humboldt Park that highlight and celebrate Latinx culture including Barrio Arts Fest, The Great Columbian Festival and Fiesta Boricua. No one knows for certain what those plans might include.

Today, in response to the incident at the museum, local, state and national elected officials representing the Northwest Side of Chicago issued a strongly worded statement condemning any efforts by the Department of Homeland Security to intimidate, surveil, and terrorize the Latinx community and stating, “ICE is not welcome in Humboldt Park or anywhere in Chicago or Illinois.” At a press conference, U.S. Rep. Delia Ramirez (IL-03), who has repeatedly called for the resignation of DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, accused the federal administration of violating the constitution by detaining and deporting people without due process, and she denounced the tactics of ICE. “If you have to cover yourself up to [take] people, then you’re a terrorist yourself,” she said.

Back in Los Angeles, Border Patrol El Centro Sector Chief Gregory Bovino was interviewed by Fox 11 Los Angeles. He made it clear that operations like the one on Monday would happen again. He promised, “The Federal government is not leaving LA… We’re going to be here until that mission is accomplished.”

He then added, “Better get used to us now, because this is gonna be normal very soon.”

Your city could be next.