They want the cross as a prop, not a mandate.
Three people were arrested Thursday for protesting at a St. Paul church. The DOJ charged them with conspiracy to deprive rights. The White House posted a doctored photo to make one of them look like she was crying.
But organized Christianity beyond the Christian nationalists has been pushing back against this administration. The Pope called mass deportations a disgrace and sent a formal letter to American bishops calling it a “major crisis.” Episcopal Bishop Rob Hirschfeld told his clergy to write their wills and prepare for “a new era of martyrdom.” The Diocese of San Bernardino excused 1.5 million Catholics from Sunday Mass. The fear of attending church is now too great. Twenty-four Christian and Jewish institutions are suing DHS.
This resistance comes from the Christianity that does the work: refugee resettlement, feeding the hungry, housing people living in the streets. Virtually all of it runs on community volunteers. They don’t care if you believe. They just need hands. Find a local food pantry or refugee resettlement org and offer to help.
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Video shows ICE agent entering St. Paul Thai restaurant with handgun drawn, accusing owners of hiding "a kid" as customers ate.
Today’s GovBrief News
White House fences off Lafayette Square for "repairs" through May; Trump reportedly wants brick walkways removed to prevent use as weapons during demonstrations.
Source: The Washington Post
January 22, 2026
Canadian PM Carney doubles down on Davos call for "middle powers" to resist economic intimidation, rejecting Trump's claim that Canada "lives because of the United States."
Source: CTV
January 22, 2026
Trump launches "Board of Peace" at Davos with 19 countries after France, Norway, and Sweden declined; says charter allows him to chair "for life" if he chooses.
Source: The Associated Press
January 22, 2026
U.S. formally completes withdrawal from World Health Organization one year after Trump initiated process; Rubio and Kennedy say WHO refuses to return American flag over unpaid dues.
Source: UPI
January 22, 2026
DOJ arrested three organizers of anti-ICE protest at St. Paul church, charging them with conspiracy to deprive rights; White House posted altered photo showing calm arrestee as crying.
Source: KSTP St. Paul
January 22, 2026
Federal judge questions Trump's authority to build $400 million White House ballroom, snapping "Come on. Be serious" when DOJ compared it to adding a tennis pavilion.
Source: CBS News
January 22, 2026
Reagan-appointed judge rules pro-Palestinian academics can seek court relief if immigration status changed as retribution, says Noem and Rubio engaged in "unconstitutional conspiracy."
Source: The Associated Press
January 22, 2026
Trump sues JPMorgan Chase and CEO Jamie Dimon for $5 billion over 2021 account closures, filing on the same day former special counsel Jack Smith testifies publicly for the first time.
Source: CNBC
January 22, 2026
Former Des Moines superintendent Ian Roberts pleads guilty to falsely claiming U.S. citizenship and illegal firearms possession, four months after ICE detained him in his school-issued vehicle.
Source: CBS News
January 22, 2026
ICE agents used 5-year-old with active asylum case as "bait," having the child knock on his family's door to help detain his father, Minneapolis-area superintendent says.
Source: KMSP Minneapolis
January 22, 2026
VP Vance visits Minneapolis, blames state officials for ICE chaos, falsely claims city has "highest concentration" of immigration violators; says Insurrection Act not needed "at this time."
Source: The Minnesota Reformer
January 22, 2026
Trump administration orders review of all federal funding to 14 Democratic-led states and DC, directing agencies to report grants, loans, and contracts by Monday; memo claims effort is "data-gathering," not withholding.
Source: CNN
January 22, 2026
Trump attributed large purple bruise on left hand at Davos to hitting a table and his daily aspirin regimen; photos showed he later applied makeup to conceal it.
Source: Newsweek
January 22, 2026
Former special counsel Jack Smith told Congress he developed "proof beyond a reasonable doubt" that Trump committed crimes in the Jan. 6 and classified documents cases, and would prosecute again on the same facts.
Source: Roll Call
January 22, 2026
House passes final spending bills to avert Jan. 31 shutdown; seven Democrats crossed party to fund DHS as Jeffries called ICE "out of control" and voted no.
Source: NBC News
January 22, 2026
National Park Service removes panels honoring nine people enslaved by George Washington at Philadelphia's President's House, implementing Trump's order to remove "disparaging" displays before America's 250th birthday.
Source: ABC 6 Philadelphia
January 22, 2026
TikTok announces deal to spin off U.S. operations, with Oracle, UAE's MGX, and Silver Lake each taking 15% stakes while ByteDance retains 19.9% and continues managing advertising and e-commerce.
Source: ABC News
January 22, 2026
Five Democratic states ask judge to block Trump administration from withholding child care funding; HHS claimed fraud without evidence while demanding recipients' Social Security numbers.
Source: The Associated Press
January 22, 2026