{"id":2464189,"date":"2025-07-20T07:23:02","date_gmt":"2025-07-20T11:23:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/ices-chilling-effect-on-immigrants-in-california-churches-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2025-07-20T07:26:12","modified_gmt":"2025-07-20T11:26:12","slug":"ices-chilling-effect-on-immigrants-in-california-churches-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/ices-chilling-effect-on-immigrants-in-california-churches-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"ICE&#8217;s chilling effect on immigrants in California churches &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">22<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fices-chilling-effect-on-immigrants-in-california-churches-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2464189&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Attendance at Spanish-language Catholic church services in the San Bernardino Diocese near Los Angeles has dropped by more than half due to fears among parishioners of being detained by U.S.Immigration and customs enforcement (ICE). Increased ICE activity in the area, including arrests outside churches, has caused many immigrants and even some legal residents to avoid attending mass. The Diocese, serving around 1.5 million Catholics, has acknowledged this issue, with Bishop Alberto Rojas issuing a decree in july granting dispensation from the obligation to attend Sunday Mass for those fearing immigration enforcement. Parishioners are encouraged to engage in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/fans-of-psychedelics-claim-religious-protections\/\" title=\"Fans Of Psychedelics Claim Religious Protections\">alternative spiritual practices<\/a> such as personal prayer and devotions. While ICE officials deny targeting churches or hospitals for arrests, the increased enforcement and arrests near parishes have created a chilling effect in the community, notably among Hispanic residents.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Attendance plunges at Los Angeles Catholic churches as parishioners stay home to avoid ICE<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2171359\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>Attendance at Spanish-language services at a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/catholic-church\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Catholic<\/a> diocese near <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/los-angeles\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Los<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/los-angeles\">  Angeles<\/a> has dropped by more than half as parishioners skip weekly services for fear of being detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers.<\/p>\n<p>Heightened <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/ICE\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">ICE<\/a> activity in and around Los Angeles has scared many immigrants and even nonimmigrants from going out to attend a church service as police activity has ramped up this summer, San Bernardino Catholic Diocese spokesman John Andrews told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/immigration\/3476401\/illegal-immigrant-federally-charged-for-faking-ice-kidnapping\/\">Illegal immigrant federally charged for faking ICE &#8216;kidnapping&#8217;<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/immigration\/3475032\/ice-access-personal-medicaid-information-catch-illegal-immigrants\/\">ICE to access personal Medicaid information to catch <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/its-happening-president-trump-issues-warning-swing-states-that-found-massive-voter-fraud-which-is-all-of-them-cannot-legally-certify-these-votes\/\" title=\"IT\u2019S HAPPENING: President Trump Issues Warning \u2013 Swing States that Found MASSIVE VOTER FRAUD, which is all of them, CANNOT LEGALLY CERTIFY these votes\">illegal immigrants<\/a>&nbsp;<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/immigration\/3475015\/ice-rumors-immigration-enforcement-churches-hospitals\/\">ICE says claims its officers target churches and hospitals are &#8216;false&#8217;<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>&ldquo;There&rsquo;s at least a 50% drop in attendance across all of our parishes, and some more than that, some less, but for the Spanish language masses,&rdquo; Andrews said in a phone call Friday.<\/p>\n<p>Over the past two months, federal police have detained immigrants who are illegally in the country outside two Catholic parishes in the San Bernardino Diocese. In the first incident, ICE took several men near the church into custody.<\/p>\n<p>In a second incident, an active parishioner on church property at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Montclair was approached and detained by ICE outside while doing landscape work, Andrews said.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;This is a guy who&rsquo;s been in the country for many years. His family is very involved in the parish. He had nothing on his record other than not having the legal status,&rdquo; Andrews said, adding that the man&rsquo;s eldest son had been in the Army National Guard for over a decade.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>He was sent to a federal immigration detention center in Texas and, at last notice, remained detained in New Mexico.<\/p>\n<p>The crackdown outside San Bernardino Diocese parishes is having a significant effect. This single Diocese serves an estimated <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sbdiocese.org\/40th\/docs\/History.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">1.5 million<\/a> Catholics east of Los Angeles between San Bernardino and Riverside, making it one of the largest in the Nation.<\/p>\n<p>Bishop Alberto Rojas of the San Bernardino Diocese issued a decree on July 9 that permitted certain parishioners not to attend Sunday Mass if they genuinely feared immigration enforcement. The decision was made based on observations from diocese leadership, coupled with input from parishioners about not feeling safe walking into the church, according to Andrews.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Dispensation from the Obligation to Attend Mass: All members of the faithful in the Diocese of San Bernardino who, due to genuine fear of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-administration-limits-arrest-of-illegal-immigrants-at-courthouses\/\" title=\"Biden Administration Limits Arrest of ... at Courthouses\">immigration enforcement actions<\/a>, are unable to attend Sunday Mass or Masses on holy days of obligation are dispensed from this obligation, as provided for in Canon 1247, until such time as this decree is revoked or amended,&rdquo; Rojas said in a public <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sbdiocese.org\/newsmedia\/statements\/2025\/Diocesan%20Decree%20Dispensing%20from%20the%20Obligation%20to%20Attend%20Sunday%20Mass.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">statement<\/a> posted on social media and the church website.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DL5XxMYveqC\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"14\" style=\"background:#FFF;border:0;border-radius:3px;margin: 1px;max-width:540px;min-width:326px;padding:0;width:99.375%;width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px);width:calc(100% - 2px)\">\n<div style=\"padding:16px\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DL5XxMYveqC\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" style=\"background:#FFFFFF;line-height:0;padding:0 0;text-align:center;text-decoration:none;width:100%\" target=\"_blank\"> <\/p>\n<div style=\"flex-direction: row;align-items: center\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4;border-radius: 50%;flex-grow: 0;height: 40px;margin-right: 14px;width: 40px\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"flex-direction: column;flex-grow: 1;justify-content: center\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4;border-radius: 4px;flex-grow: 0;height: 14px;margin-bottom: 6px;width: 100px\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4;border-radius: 4px;flex-grow: 0;height: 14px;width: 60px\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding: 19% 0\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"height:50px;margin:0 auto 12px;width:50px\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"padding-top: 8px\">\n<div style=\"color:#3897f0;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-style:normal;font-weight:550;line-height:18px\">View this post on Instagram<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding: 12.5% 0\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"flex-direction: row;margin-bottom: 14px;align-items: center\">\n<div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4;border-radius: 50%;height: 12.5px;width: 12.5px\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4;height: 12.5px;width: 12.5px;flex-grow: 0;margin-right: 14px;margin-left: 2px\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4;border-radius: 50%;height: 12.5px;width: 12.5px\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-left: 8px\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4;border-radius: 50%;flex-grow: 0;height: 20px;width: 20px\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 0;height: 0;border-top: 2px solid transparent;border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4;border-bottom: 2px solid transparent\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-left: auto\">\n<div style=\"width: 0px;border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4;border-right: 8px solid transparent\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4;flex-grow: 0;height: 12px;width: 16px\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 0;height: 0;border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4;border-left: 8px solid transparent\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"flex-direction: column;flex-grow: 1;justify-content: center;margin-bottom: 24px\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4;border-radius: 4px;flex-grow: 0;height: 14px;margin-bottom: 6px;width: 224px\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4;border-radius: 4px;flex-grow: 0;height: 14px;width: 144px\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"color:#c9c8cd;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:17px;margin-bottom:0;margin-top:8px;overflow:hidden;padding:8px 0 7px;text-align:center\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DL5XxMYveqC\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" style=\"color:#c9c8cd;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;line-height:17px;text-decoration:none\" target=\"_blank\">A post shared by Diocese of San Bernardino (@sbdiocese)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script>    <\/p>\n<p>Rojas recommended alternative spiritual practices for those who feel unsafe or in danger going out, including personal prayer, reading Sacred Scripture, and devotions such as the Rosary.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Andrews said part of the frustration was that the Trump administration appeared to be targeting immigrants whom they had not initially vowed to go after. As a presidential candidate, Trump plans to <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >prioritize criminal illegal immigrants<\/a> for deportation, but ICE&rsquo;s efforts have overwhelmingly resulted in noncriminals in the country being arrested and removed.<\/p>\n<p>Jessica Vaughan, director of police studies at the Center for Immigration Studies in Washington, said ICE&rsquo;s actions are not random but based on specific targets or businesses.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;This idea that ICE is just randomly picking people up or patrolling the streets looking for people that look like they could be illegal aliens, unfortunately, is a common misconception that is a narrative spread deliberately by opponents of ICE,&rdquo; Vaughan said. &ldquo;In reality, ICE&rsquo;s work is very targeted. &hellip; It&rsquo;s unfortunate people have the idea that they cannot go about their daily lives.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Andrews had also heard of fear among people who are not illegal immigrants but fear they could get caught up and targeted by federal law enforcement based on the color of their skin or ethnicity.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;People who are here legally are also afraid of somehow being drawn into this,&rdquo; Andrews said. &ldquo;Obviously, the Hispanic community is a big part of this in terms of who&rsquo;s being targeted, but by no means [is it] limited to that.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Historically, White House administrations have chosen not to allow ICE to enter hospitals, schools, or places of worship. However, when President Donald Trump took office in January, his administration removed that restriction.<\/p>\n<p>Although ICE is allowed to enter one of those formerly protected facilities, an ICE official told the <em>Washington Examiner <\/em>earlier this week that claims officials are targeting churches to arrest people inside were false.<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/immigration\/3475015\/ice-rumors-immigration-enforcement-churches-hospitals\/\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/immigration\/3475015\/ice-rumors-immigration-enforcement-churches-hospitals\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\"><strong>ICE SAYS CLAIMS ITS OFFERS TARGET CHURCHES AND HOSPITALS ARE &lsquo;FALSE&rsquo;<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Instances of a so-called enforcement in a medical facility or church &hellip; [are] false,&rdquo; an ICE official authorized to speak with the media wrote in an email.<\/p>\n<p>Andrews maintained that recent news of arrests outside churches was having a chilling effect on the community because it made them &ldquo;less likely&rdquo; to want to go to church, as evidenced by the drop in attendance at Spanish-language services.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_2171359\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"2171359\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Attendance at LA Catholic churches drops as parishioners avoid ICE raids<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2655,"featured_media":2464190,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/AP23250557498819-scaled-1024x683.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[59491,8364,4727,49347,32076],"class_list":["post-2464189","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-california-churches","tag-ice","tag-immigrants","tag-immigration-enforcement","tag-washington-examiner"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/AP23250557498819-scaled-1024x683.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2464189","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2655"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2464189"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2464189\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2464193,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2464189\/revisions\/2464193"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2464190"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2464189"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2464189"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2464189"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}