ICE surveils Catholic church during Spanish-language Mass, parishioners report fear
Jan 4, 2026·Location: Hopkins, MN

On January 4, 2026, ICE agents in vehicles with out-of-state license plates surveilled St. Gabriel the Archangel Catholic Church in Hopkins, Minnesota, during a Spanish-language Mass, positioning themselves outside the church building. Pastor Paul Haverstock reported that parishioners informed him of men wearing ski masks sitting in a car outside, prompting him to prepare his phone to record if agents entered during the service. Following this surveillance and the earlier deportation of church employee Francisco Paredes, attendance at the Spanish Mass dropped by half from over 400 people, and parishioners expressed fear of attending worship. Church leadership and Hopkins Mayor Patrick Hanlon stated that ICE's presence outside the church violated the constitutional right to free exercise of religion.
Sources
- UPDATE: ICE deported Minnesota church employee, surveilled parish during Mass, mayor says
ewtnnews.com·Jan 9, 2026·archived copy
- ICE Deported Minnesota Church Employee, Surveilled Parish During Mass
maryknollmagazine.org·Jan 13, 2026·archived copy
- National & World Archives - The Catholic Telegraph
- ICE Presence at Minnesota Parish Sparks Fear, Raises Concerns Over Religious Freedom – Catholic Online News
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