Minneapolis–Saint Paul, USA: U.S. President Donald Trump has strongly condemned an incident in Minnesota where protesters disrupted a church service while targeting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The president emphasized that interference with religious worship is unacceptable.
The incident occurred on Sunday at Citizens Church in St. Paul, where protesters entered the church during a service, shouting slogans such as “Justice for Reni Good” and “ICE Out,” confronting worshippers. Videos of the event circulated widely on social media.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated on X (formerly Twitter) that President Trump finds it intolerable to intimidate or harass Christians in their sacred places of worship. She added that the Department of Justice has launched a full investigation into the incident.
The protest reportedly stemmed from online claims that a church pastor held a senior role in ICE. The demonstration is part of broader protests recently seen across the Minneapolis–Saint Paul area.
Tensions have heightened in the region following the shooting of 37-year-old Reni Nicole Good earlier this month by a federal agent, further straining relations between federal authorities and local communities. In response, the Justice Department has initiated a civil rights investigation into the church incident.
Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, Harmit Dhillon, stated that the investigation is examining whether federal laws were violated, including interference with worship and desecration of a place of worship. The probe is being conducted under the federal Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act, which also protects religious sites.
The Department of Homeland Security under the Trump administration also criticized the protest, stating that demonstrators are increasingly targeting not just federal law enforcement but churches as well. The administration claimed that state and local authorities have failed to prevent such disturbances.
