Letter to DHS Requesting to offer Pastoral Care and Holy Communion at Broadview Facility
Wednesday, December 17, 2025
Mr. Samuel Olson
Field Office Director
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
101 W. Ida B. Wells Drive, Suite 400
Chicago, IL 60605
Email: Chicago.outreach@ice.dhs.gov
Email: CHI-ERO-ChiefOfStaff@ice.dhs.govRe: Request for Pastoral Access at Broadview ICE Facility
Director Olson:
We write to respectfully request permission for a small delegation of religious ministers to have access to detainees at the Broadview ICE facility on December 24 or December 25, 2025, so that detainees who desire it may receive pastoral care and Holy Communion on these days of profound religious significance.
We previously submitted written requests on October 28, October 30, and October 31, 2025, followed by a formal request on November 1, 2025, seeking permission to provide pastoral care on the Feast of All Saints. Our most recent request came on Nov 6, 2025. While those dates have passed, the underlying request remains urgent and time-sensitive as we now seek access specifically for Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, when many detainees long for spiritual support and sacramental care.
We recognize that a lawsuit is now pending in the United States District Court to provide access for such pastoral care at Broadview on a regular basis. However, nothing prevents you from allowing entry for such care on this special occasion of Christmas while that litigation is pending.
Our clergy, religious sisters, and lay ministers have significant experience in detention and prison ministry, including service at ICE facilities. They are ready and willing to comply fully with all ICE and DHS requirements to allow them to pray with detainees, provide Holy Communion, and offer pastoral care at Broadview on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.
In seeking access for pastoral and spiritual care, we ask that ICE not only recognize the importance of such care on Christmas to the detainees, but also our own religious faith. Especially during Christmas, we are exercising an obligation of our own religious faith to recognize Christ in the stranger or foreigner or prisoner and to visit and console such a person at a time when so many families gather together in worship.
Nothing here is intended to prejudice your legal position and the request is made only as an exercise of our faith on this special religious occasion.
We therefore respectfully request a meeting with you, or with an ICE or DHS official who has the authority to discuss and implement clergy access, focused solely on facilitating pastoral visitation at the Broadview facility on December 24 or December 25, 2025 and discuss such safety and security concerns that are appropriate for such a visit.
In recent remarks addressing the treatment of detained migrants, Pope Leo XIV stated: “Jesus says very clearly … at the end of the world, we’re going to be asked, … how did you receive the foreigner? Did you receive him and welcome him or not?” He further urged authorities “to allow pastoral workers to attend to the needs of those people.” This call speaks directly to the spiritual needs of detainees and the importance of allowing access to pastoral care.
Christmas, the celebration of the birth of Christ, is a central feast of the Christian faith and a moment of particular importance for prayer, hope, and consolation—especially for those who are confined, separated from family, and experiencing fear or uncertainty. The opportunity to receive pastoral care and Holy Communion on this holy day carries deep spiritual meaning for detained persons.
We respectfully ask for a prompt response given the rapidly approaching dates. We can be reached at (708) 567-0155 or by email at michael@csplaction.org.
Thank you for your attention to this important matter.
Sincerely,
Sister Jessi Beck, PBVM - CSPL Women’s Religious Council
Fr. Dennis Berry, S.T. - CSPL Clergy Council
Sr. Kathy Brazda, CSJ - CSPL Women’s Religious Council
Sr. Carol Crepeau CSJ - CSPL Women’s Religious Council
Fr. Larry Dowling - CSPL Clergy Council
Sr. Brenda Eagan, CJ - CSPL Women’s Religious Council
Fr. John Edmunds, ST - CSPL Clergy Council
Sr. Cathy Fedawa, CSFN - CSPL Women’s Religious Council
Br. Chuck Fitzsimmons - CSPL Clergy Council
Sr. Alicia Gutierrez - CSPL Women’s Religious Council
Fr. Dan Hartnett, SJ - CSPL Clergy Council
Fr. David Inczauskis, SJ - CSPL Clergy Council
Sister Karen Kappell, FSPA - CSPL Women’s Religious Council
Sr. Jeremy Midura, CSSF - CSPL Women’s Religious Council
Sr. Rose Therese Nolta, SSpS - CSPL Women’s Religious Council
Fr. David Pavlik - CSPL Clergy Council
Deacon Javier Pineda - CSPL Clergy Council
Sr. Jacqueline Schmitz CSJ - CSPL Women’s Religious Council
Fr. Juan Vargas - CSPL Clergy CouncilDr. Michael Okinczyc-Cruz - CSPL Executive Director
Anthony Williams - CSPL Board President
