Armed Agents Stormed a Church Food Bank and Arrested a Volunteer: 'Terror in the House of God'

ICE Agents Arrest Volunteer at North Hills United Methodist Church Food Bank Sparking Outrage

Federal immigration agents forced their way onto the grounds of North Hills United Methodist Church in Los Angeles on January 29, 2026, arresting a volunteer during a food distribution program and sending families, children, and elderly people fleeing in panic.

Church leaders said ICE agents ran through the property while the church was serving its food ministry, among other programs. Mothers, young children, and youths were present. Staff sheltered all attendees in a secure room for more than four hours.

The detained man, Carlos Chavez, was identified by the church as a volunteer helping with children's ministry. Federal officials said Chavez was "an illegal alien from Mexico who was previously removed from this country in 2016" and that he fled from agents, leading to a foot chase.

Debate Intensifies Over Whether Churches Should Be Protected from Immigration Raids

Chavez was deported to Tijuana within a day of being taken. Church leaders condemned the action: "ICE has sparked terror in the house of God." The incident has reignited debate about whether churches and houses of worship should be treated as sensitive locations exempt from immigration enforcement.

The Crusader's Opinion

Whatever your position on immigration, armed agents running through a church while families eat and children play should disturb every Christian.

The question is not whether immigration law should be enforced. The question is whether the house of God is sacred ground.

For centuries, churches offered sanctuary. Not as a legal loophole, but as a moral principle.

When the state treats a food bank like a crime scene and deports a man within 24 hours without due process, something has gone wrong.

Take Action

• Reflect: Consider what the principle of sanctuary means to you. Should churches be exempt from immigration enforcement?
• Share: Share this story. Armed agents arrested a man at a church food bank in front of children.
• Pray: Pray for Carlos Chavez, for the families traumatized at North Hills UMC, and for wisdom in immigration policy.
• Act: Contact your representatives about designating houses of worship as sensitive locations for enforcement purposes.