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By Jordan King
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A church has branded some of Donald Trump's ICE raids "domestic terrorism," saying the administration is "weaponizing the constitution."
The United Church of Christ (UCC) said these things in a "Resolution of Witness" called "Responding to the federal government's attack on immigrants, migrants and refugees," which was passed (627-8) during the 35th biennial General Synod in Kansas City, Missouri.
The "domestic terrorism" label was used to describe operations in which ICE agents worked "without uniforms, wearing masks or refusing to identify themselves."
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White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson told Newsweek: "ICE officers are not 'domestic terrorists,' they are heroes who are doing their job, protecting American communities, and enforcing the law with the utmost professionalism. ICE officers are facing an 830 percent increase in assaults because of false smears against them."
Why It Matters
The UCC's public denunciation marks one of the strongest rebukes of President Trump's immigration enforcement by a major U.S. Christian denomination.
The move comes amid escalating concern from faith-based organizations over the government's approach to immigrant, migrant, and refugee communities—including criticism of ICE tactics and the expansion of private detention.
Other examples of similar rebukes have come from Catholic figures such as Reverend Michael Pham, bishop of San Diego, California, who joined several of his colleagues in calling for priests, deacons and parish leaders to accompany migrants to court and stand in solidarity with them.
What To Know
The UCC said in its resolution: "Thirty-Fifth General Synod of the United Church of Christ denounces all violations and weaponization of the constitution, federal law, and international human rights law committed by the current administration, including its abuse and misuse of the Alien Enemies Act, its denial of the constitutional right to due process for immigrants summarily deported or indefinitely detained, its denial of First Amendment rights, its ending of the asylum seeker and refugee resettlement programs, and denounces domestic terrorism carried out by ICE agents working without uniforms, wearing masks or refusing to identify themselves."
ICE has faced increasing criticism in recent months for permitting its agents to conduct immigration enforcement operations while wearing plain clothes and face coverings. Officials maintain that masks are necessary to protect agents' identities and shield their families from death threats.
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The "No Secret Police Act," introduced by California state Senator Scott Wiener, would prohibit law enforcement at all levels from concealing their identities. It was approved by a legislative committee on Tuesday but has yet to be passed into law.
The UCC also called on the national church and its member bodies to divest from for-profit detention businesses, citing human rights concerns in U.S. detention centers.
The measure specifically named companies such as CoreCivic, GEO Group, and Management and Training Corp., but left open the option to divest from other such entities.
The church's National Collaborative on Immigration, made up of immigrant-welcoming churches—many located in border regions—provided essential input for the bill, according to Religious News Service.
Reverend Clara Sims, assistant minister at First Congregational UCC in Albuquerque, New Mexico, introduced the resolution as an emergency measure, citing her church's work providing housing and food for immigrants arriving by bus from El Paso, Texas.
"Our faith has always called us into spaces of risk on behalf of the vulnerable, especially when people are being made vulnerable by really corrupt systems of power," Sims said.
What People Are Saying
Abigail Cipparone, UCC Office of Public Policy and Advocacy: "It is important for us to rededicate ourselves to protecting immigrants and refugees, also because of our call as Christians...To see so many people really speak out against what we see as a violation of our Christian values, as a violation of our faith, was really inspiring."
Bishop Mark J. Seitz, USCCB Committee on Migration, El Paso: "It is deeply troubling and inexcusable that measures intended to ensure the basic safety of pregnant mothers and their young children while in government custody could be rescinded with such indifference toward the vulnerability of those involved."
What Happens Next
The UCC and allied religious organizations are expected to continue their advocacy for immigrant rights, including renewed calls for divestment from private detention businesses and expanded support for affected families.
The broader impact on public policy, enforcement practices, and church-state relations remains under close watch as events unfold.
Update 7/18/25, 4:16 a.m. ET: This article has been updated with comment from the White House.
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