New Interfaith Alliance National Ad Campaign Contrasts ICE Brutality With Holy Season’s Call to Love Our Neighbors

Interfaith Alliance, a leading national advocate for religious freedom and civil rights, launched a powerful new nationwide advertising campaign today that contrasts ICE’s brutality against immigrant families and communities with the holy season’s religious calling to “love thy neighbor.” 

Backed by a $300,000 spend across digital, broadcast television and streaming services, the confronting 30-second ad contrasts images of ICE violence with scenes of families gathering together for Christmas and the holiday season. Set to “O Holy Night,” it shares the message: “In America, We Love One Another. Choose Love Not ICE.” The ad will target several media markets that have seen particularly intense and widespread crackdowns by federal immigration agents, including Charlotte, North Carolina and New Orleans, Louisiana. 

The full ad can be viewed here. It will run on digital, broadcast television and streaming platforms nationwide through Christmas. 

‍The ad campaign urges religious Americans to sign on to this message: “This holy season, ICE cruelty is threatening our religious calling to love our neighbors — in our houses of worship and in our communities. As faithful Americans, as an expression of our values, we demand that the federal government stop the attacks on our neighbors and we call on our political and religious leaders to stand in solidarity against their cruelty.”

“The holiday season reminds us that religion can be a force for compassion, solidarity and love – and that religious Americans can and must speak out about the cruelty we see against immigrants and other vulnerable communities all around us,” said Reverend Paul Brandeis Raushenbush, president and CEO of Interfaith Alliance. “As the ‘Choose Love Not ICE’ campaign makes clear, people of faith in this country have a huge role to play in supporting democratic, non-violent efforts to help immigrant families, challenge ICE, and to oppose authoritarianism in all its forms.” 

Across the country, many faith leaders have put their bodies and congregations on the frontlines to resist ICE and protect immigrant families. In several churches and congregations nationwide, nativity scenes have recently depicted the Holy Family facing or hiding from ICE harassment – a striking call to recognize how today’s oppression goes against core religious beliefs and traditions. 

In November, the US Conference of Catholic Bishops released a special video message recognizing the fundamental dignity and rights of immigrants. Religious leaders and groups including Interfaith Alliance have helped spearhead major faith group participation in anti-authoritarian “No Kings” protests this year. Meanwhile, DHS and ICE have sought to use religious scripture to justify ICE’s “righteous” crackdowns. 

“While we see the Trump Administration trying to use religion as a tool to justify repression,the majority of religious Americans see welcoming and caring for those in need a core part of our values,” said Rev. Raushenbush. “When we see heavily armed federal agents seizing families, hurting protesters, and in some cases even invading sacred religious spaces and arresting faith leaders, we feel outraged and alarmed. That’s why people of faith have such an important role to play in defending democracy, diversity and dignity for all Americans.”

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Contact: Ben DePasquale, [email protected]

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‍Interfaith Alliance and Interfaith Alliance Foundation are a network of people of diverse faiths and beliefs from across the country working together to build a resilient democracy and fulfill America’s promise of religious freedom and civil rights not just for some, but for all. We mobilize powerful coalitions to challenge Christian nationalism and religious extremism, while fostering a better understanding of the healthy boundaries between religion and government. We advocate at all levels of government for an equitable and just America where the freedoms of belief and religious practice are protected, and where all persons are treated with dignity and have the opportunity to thrive. For more information, visit interfaithalliance.org.

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