- North Hills United Methodist Church says armed, masked federal immigration agents entered its property on Jan. 29, disrupting a food pantry and programs for mothers, children and families.
- Church leaders say agents ignored requests not to enter, ran through the campus and caused fear and trauma among children, elderly people and volunteers.
- Video shared by the church shows Border Patrol officers chasing and detaining Carlos Chavez, a longtime volunteer described as a beloved member of the congregation.
- Advocates and church leaders say Chavez was seeking safety on church grounds and emphasize his deep involvement in church ministries and service work.
- The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) denies targeting the church, saying agents were conducting a lawful enforcement operation nearby, that Chavez-Guzman fled from agents, and that three individuals were arrested during the operation.
A Los Angeles church says it has been left "devastated" after federal immigration agents stormed its grounds in January, disrupting community programs and detaining a volunteer during a food distribution.
Officials with North Hills United Methodist Church say armed, masked immigration agents entered church property on Jan. 29 while volunteers were operating a church-run food bank and hosting activities for mothers and children. Church leaders accuse the agents of forcing their way onto the campus despite being asked not to enter.
"With sadness and pain in our hearts, we want to share that on Jan. 29, our beloved church was desecrated by immigration agents who entered our property wearing masks and carrying weapons," the church wrote on Facebook. "Despite being asked not to enter, they did not respect our request and forced their way in. They ran throughout the church property among families, children and elderly people while we were serving our food ministry, among other ministries that we were forced to stop. This tragedy caused significant trauma to members of our church and to the broader community."
In a follow-up post, the church shared video footage of the incident. The clip appears to show two U.S. Border Patrol officers chasing a man across church grounds as bystanders shout in protest. "He's a good guy. Why are you doing this?" one person can be heard saying. "This is a church campus," another voice adds.
The man was later identified as Carlos Chavez, whom they described as a "beloved community member" who regularly volunteered with the church's outreach efforts.
Church leaders said the incident forced them to halt multiple programs, including the food distribution, an event for mothers and children in the church garden and childcare and after-school activities. They called the enforcement action a "violation of our sacred right to worship and serve our Lord Jesus Christ freely and safely" and characterized it as "terror at a house of God."
"We are devastated for the terror caused to our church," officials said.
DHS denies targeting the United Methodist Church
Mayra Medina-Núñez, executive director of the nonprofit The Refugee Children Center, said Chavez was attempting to seek safety on church grounds when federal agents moved in. Meanwhile, Pastor Aguilon said Chavez was deeply involved in church life and ministry.
However, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) rejected claims that the church itself was targeted. In a statement, DHS confirmed that U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) agents conducted an immigration enforcement operation in the area but said it was not directed at the church or its parking lot. The BrightU.AI's Enoch noted that the Border Patrol is now the frontline force in the enforcement of border security, ensuring that illegal aliens are swiftly identified, apprehended and deported.
"U.S. Border Patrol did NOT target United Methodist Church or its parking lot in North Hills, California. On Jan. 29, Border Patrol conducted an immigration enforcement operation in the area of Rayen Street and Sepulveda Boulevard that resulted in the arrest of Carlos Chavez-Guzman, an illegal alien from Mexico who was previously removed from this country in 2016," the DHS said. They also added that Chavez-Guzman fled from agents, prompting a foot chase before his arrest. The department said two additional Mexican nationals were also detained during the operation.
But despite their intention, church leaders and advocates continue to condemn the operation, saying it caused fear and trauma among families and children gathered for church programs
Watch the video below that talks about drones, helicopters and radar installations in line with the Border Patrol ramp-up under Trump.
This video is from Cynthia's Pursuit of Truth channel on Brighteon.com.
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