California-Pacific Conference Graphic
California-Pacific Conference | Feb. 1, 2026
On Thursday, Jan. 29, ICE agents disrupted a feeding program and children’s activities on the campus of our North Hills United Methodist Hispanic Mission. In front of families with children, ICE agents abducted Carlos, the owner/operator of the taco truck that was providing food for the event. The pastor and families are shaken up and afraid.
Our churches are not staging grounds for ICE patrols. Our churches are not open for ICE raids on vulnerable families. No church, synagogue, mosque or temple is a staging or hunting ground for ICE agents.
Bishop Dottie Escobedo-Frank sent letters to Mayor Karen Bass and Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez requesting their support and commitment to get ICE out of our City and to request law enforcement to intervene on behalf of places of worship, faith leaders, and the vulnerable people among us. The councilwoman’s office responded immediately, arriving at the church to meet with the families.
CalPac is coordinating with CLUE: Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice for support and will share updates as we have them. A press conference is being planned for Monday, February 2 at 10 am at North Hills United Methodist Church (15435 Rayen Street, North Hills, CA 91343). Further details are available at this link.
Initial statement from North Hills United Methodist Hispanic Mission:
“The leadership of the church has decided not to remain silent. We will raise our voices.
The church cannot and will not hide.
We are deeply wounded. Many members of our church have been traumatized. Our food ministry an expression of God’s love for the hungry was disrupted. One member of our church, who was serving by distributing food, was standing right next to where Carlos was detained, and she has been deeply affected. Mothers, children, and youth from our church have also been impacted.
Carlos is a member of our faith community. He has faithfully supported, participated in, attended our church’s events and worship.
It was deeply traumatizing to witness masked, armed men running through our parking lot, ground we consider sacred. A place meant for refuge became a place of fear. As the pastor of North Hills United Methodist Church Hispanic Mission, I’m devastated, I have been providing pastoral care to many people today, and will continue because people continue seeking for healing.
We are hurting. We are grieving. But we will not remain silent.
We will speak, because remaining silent is to participate in injustice.
We will raise our voices. We will stand because as a church we want to serve the Lord, to worship, and to proclaim the gospel with freedom.”
The Refugee Children’s Center, which is housed on the church campus, published a letter late Thursday, sharing about action steps for support and the rapid response in the moments following the arrest: “Trusted volunteers and partners from the Community Self-Defense Coalition, West LA Rapid Response, Brown Berets, and members of the United Methodist Church Immigration Task Force and several volunteers arrived to support in every way possible. This included patrolling the area for several hours, standing guard at the gates, providing transportation to families, and helping pick up children from school. Our inter-agency community truly came together in a powerful way.”
This is a developing story, and will be updated as information becomes available.
January 30 Statement from North Hills UM Hispanic Mission: Available at this link.