An Illinois church is in the spotlight for displaying a Nativity scene that depicts baby Jesus with his hands zip-tied and guarded by soldiers labeled as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.

Lake Street Church of Evanston posted several photos of the scene to Facebook in late November. The scene has become a tense source of debate in the days since with some calling it a powerful image of resistance while others labeled it blasphemy.

The church says the installation reimagines the nativity as a scene of forced family separation, “drawing direct parallels between the Holy Family’s refugee experience and contemporary immigration detention practices.”

In addition to the zip ties, baby Jesus is wrapped in a thin blanket resembling aluminum foil, the Roman army is in sunglasse

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