We are the body of Christ
Pastoral Care for Immigrant Detainees Campaign
When “Operation Midway Blitz” first hit our streets, we immediately developed a plan to respond to the increasingly harmful immigration enforcement operations impacting every neighborhood where our members live and work. Since then, thousands of priests, sisters, and lay people have taken part in our public, non-violent, spirit-led actions, including People’s Masses and a Eucharistic Procession.
Our building momentum is bringing visibility to our sisters and brothers being brutally kidnapped, detained, and deported.
We are raising our voices to call upon our nation to treat all people with their inherent dignity.
This work focuses on:
Building racial solidarity between immigrant communities and other communities of color.
Directly confronting the perpetrators of unjust operations with spiritually-rooted, nonviolent direct actions at the bases of immigration operations (ICE Headquarters, Broadview ICE facility, Great Lakes Naval Station).
Supporting the work of parishes to protect their parishioners and respond to ICE raids, and providing resources to help them hold their own solidarity-driven actions and events.
Strategically pursuing local and national visibility to elevate the moral authority of the grassroots church by proclaiming the dignity and rights of all people.
Timeline of Lawsuit Over Blocked Access to Provide Pastoral Care in Detention Facilities
TIMELINE OF THE PASTORAL CARE CAMPAIGN
April 3, 2026
CSPL Delegation Washes the Feet of Detainees on Holy Thursday
Father Juan Vargas knelt on the floor and washed the feet of a man in shackles. Sister Alicia Gutierrez, SH, distributed Communion. Father David Inczauskis, SJ, and Father Paul Joseph Keller, CMF, offered pastoral care to thirteen other detained migrants wearing handcuffs and ankle chains. Outside, fifty CSPL members stood in rain and heavy wind, praying the Rosary and singing. Read coverage by the Chicago Tribune, National Catholic Reporter and others here.
February 18, 2026
3,500 Attend Ash Wednesday Mass & Procession with Cardinal Cupich
After the pastoral visit at the Broadview ICE facility, 3,500 members gathered at Our Lady of Mount Carmel parish in Melrose Park for an outdoor Mass and distribution of ashes, followed by a procession around the neighborhood. Immigrant families with loved ones who were recently detained or deported were among the first to receive ashes and helped to lead the procession alongside Cardinal Cupich. Read Cardinal Cupich’s homily in English here and Spanish here.
February 18, 2026
CSPL Delegation Brings Pastoral Care, Ashes, and Communion into Broadview
Fr. Paul Keller, Fr. Leandro Fossa, and Sr. Alicia Gutierrez distributed ashes and Communion to four detained people and three guards. “This is the body of Christ, bringing the body of Christ, to the body of Christ and in this moment that body is broken and it’s hurting,” shared an emotional Father Paul Keller after emerging.
February 12, 2026
Federal judge rules that ICE must grant access to Broadview for Ash Wednesday
This first favorable ruling in our litigation finally required ICE to work with us so we could bring pastoral care to people detained inside the Broadview ICE facility—an important step toward protecting religious freedom for people being detained. The second part of Judge Gettleman's ruling requires ICE/DHS to work with CSPL to establish an agreement and plan for ongoing pastoral access at Broadview. The ruling was reported by several outlets, including the New York Times.
Reporting on the ruling and the planned Ash Wednesday Mass with Cardinal Cupich, Rachel Maddow uplifted the assertion that “this Church is a Church of immigrants.”
December 19, 2025
Advent press conference at ICE Chicago field office
CSPL gathered at the ICE headquarters in downtown Chicago for a Press Conference affirming the dignity of immigrants and their right to receive pastoral care while being unjustly detained. A letter delivered to Field Office Director Sam Olsen requested access to the Broadview facility to bring pastoral care and Communion on Christmas to the people being held there.
Read the letter here. Fox 32 and ABC7 covered the press conference, as well as National Catholic Reporter and America Magazine.
November 19, 2025
CSPL Files federal lawsuit over blocked access
The lawsuit argues that preventing clergy and women religious from providing pastoral care violates the First Amendment, the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA), and the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA).
The lawsuit has been covered extensively, including by the New York Times.
November 15, 2025
We remember Sr. JoAnn Persch, RSM
After 20 years praying and ministering at the Broadview facility nearly every Friday, Sr. JoAnn passed away at the age of 91. Just 2 weeks before, she had led the delegation that attempted to bring communion into the Broadview facility during the All Saints Day People’s Mass. One of her last acts on earth was signing her legal declaration as part of the lawsuit CSPL filed later that week.
November 5, 2025
Pope Leo responds to Question about Events at Broadview
When asked by a reporter about CSPL being denied access at Broadview, Pope Leo said he would “ invite the authorities to allow pastoral workers to attend to the needs of those people.” His statement garnered extensive coverage from both faith-based and mainstream media outlets.
November 1, 2025
Dia de los Muertos People’s Mass at Broadview Detention Center
At this outdoor misa popular, attended by 2,000+ people, DHS again refused CSPL’s delegation of religious sisters and clergy, led by Chicago Bishop Maldonado and Sr. JoAnn Persch, entry to bring pastoral care to those detained.
Prior to this Mass, CSPL submitted several requests to DHS for pastoral access on Ash Wednesday including dropping off a letter in person at the downtown Chicago ICE office requesting access. The Mass was covered by ABC News, Block Club Chicago, Chicago Sun-Times, and many Catholic media outlets.
October 11, 2025
Eucharistic Procession to Broadview ICE facility
At least 1,000 people processed from St. Eulalia Church to Broadview, where clergy attempted to bring Communion to the people detained inside, but were denied. This event became a viral moment, drawing extensive media coverage and national Catholic attention. DHS posted on X in response to WBEZ coverage claiming that the facility was “under seige by violence rioters” and that CSPL did not give them adequate notice, despite our attempts to gain contact leading up to the procession.
Coverage by Fox 32 video, America Magazine, Chicago Catholic and National Catholic Reporter.
September 24, 2025
Mass & Procession honoring Silverio Villegas-Gonzalez
Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Melrose Park, supported by CSPL, held a Mass and outdoor Eucharistic procession demanding an investigation into Silverio’s death, justice for him and his family, and greater protections for immigrant families. More than 700 people attended.
Find more photos and media coverage here.
September 12, 2025
ICE kills Silvero Villegas-Gonzalez in Franklin Park
ICE claims Silverio severely injured an officer when he attempted to drive away, which is clearly contradicted by video evidence. Silverio had no criminal background.
September 8, 2025
ICE/DHS launches “Operation Midway Blitz”
DHS publicly announces an escalated enforcement operation in the Chicago area, marking the start of what federal officials called a concentrated enforcement effort.
September 20, 2025
Interfaith Prayer March to the Great Lakes Naval Base
CSPL joined organizations of 7 faiths for a prayerful march at the Naval base, attended by more than 300 people, united around the shared morals that call us to nonviolently act to demand justice and respect for our immigrant sisters and brothers.
News coverage: Fox 32 (video), Chicago Tribune, and La Raza.
September 13, 2025
CSPL hosts a People’s Mass for Justice + Peace at the Great Lakes Naval Station
Nearly 300 people attended this misa popular outside the Great Lakes Naval Station, the base of operations for ICE/DHS and the then-threatened National Guard deployment. This Mass became the first major public action anchoring CSPL’s response to the operations. Learn more in Commonweal and America Magazine.
March 5, 2025
Ash Wednesday Action at ICE Field Office
CSPL members gathered for a press conference and nonviolent action at the downtown Chicago ICE Headquarters. We prayed, sang, and distributed Ashes in the Christian tradition. We delivered a letter asking for a meeting to discuss the impact of operations.
Find a photo gallery here. This action was covered by WGNTV, Telemundo, and MSN.
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Joanna Arellano-Gonzalez
joanna@csplaction.org
(331) 343-7301
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