On Sunday in St. Paul, Minnesota, a group of anti-ICE protesters disrupted a church service, targeting a pastor they claimed had connections to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The incident took place at Cities Church, where the congregation was startled by chants of “Justice for Renee Good” echoing through their place of worship.

The protestors’ intrusion, captured on video, highlights a growing trend of demonstrations against ICE activities in the Twin Cities, raising alarms for both law enforcement and religious communities. The footage shows activists vocally interrupting the proceedings, demanding justice and expressing their grievances within the church walls.

In one widely shared video, the demonstrators can be heard chanting slogans like “Who needs justice, we need justice,” as they stood firmly within the sanctuary while the service was underway.

Another recording depicts the protesters strategically positioning themselves in the central area of the church during the pastor’s address. The individual filming referred to the disruption as a “clandestine mission,” suggesting the agitators had recently discovered an alleged link between one of the church’s pastors and ICE.

This incident has caught the attention of the Department of Justice, which has launched a civil rights investigation. Meanwhile, the Department of Homeland Security has expressed strong disapproval of the protestors’ tactics, underscoring the tension surrounding immigration enforcement and the targeting of religious institutions.

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.

Fox News 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.

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.”

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.

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.”