Faith leaders blocked by ICE from delivering Communion to immigrants speak out [View all]

Source: ABC News

November 3, 2025, 8:14 PM


Faith leaders denounced Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for rejecting access to give Communion to immigrants being held at an Illinois facility over the weekend.

The Coalition for Spiritual and Public Leadership (CSPL), a Catholic and Christian-rooted nonprofit, organized a Mass by the immigration processing center on All Saints Day and Día de los Muertos, or the Day of the Dead. Organizers estimate some 2,000 people attended on Saturday, as many prayed, sang and held signs protesting ICE.

"Operation Midway Blitz has caused chaos and mayhem in our city," Michael Okińczyc-Cruz, the executive director of CSPL, told ABC News, referring to the immigration crackdown in Chicago. "It's creating such fear and trauma for so many of the families that we work with and that are members of our coalition," he said.

Okińczyc-Cruz said that CSPL formally submitted a letter requesting access more than a week in advance and took numerous steps for ministers to give Communion to migrants in the Broadview facility. This is the second time they were denied entry since their first attempt on Oct. 11, he told ABC News. These days are so symbolically important for us in the Catholic Church to honor the saints who've come before us," Okińczyc-Cruz said.

Read more: https://abcnews.go.com/US/faith-leaders-blocked-ice-delivering-communion-immigrants-speak/story?id=127148684