Phoenix Residents Resist ICE Enforcement Actions

Faith leaders call for hospitality, justice, and nonviolent resistance in response to recent ICE killings and deportations.

Jan. 30, 2026 at 2:23pm

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As federal immigration enforcement actions have resulted in the unnecessary killing of community members in Phoenix, local faith leaders are calling on residents to respond with biblical principles of hospitality, justice, and nonviolent resistance. They are providing guidance on ways to create 'sanctuary' spaces, engage in public witness and lament, offer pastoral care, and consider direct action against unjust systems.

Why it matters

The Phoenix area has become a focal point for controversial ICE enforcement, sparking mass protests, public grief, and concerns about the erosion of immigrant rights and community trust. Faith leaders see this as a pivotal moment to put their beliefs into practice and resist what they view as unjust and dehumanizing policies.

The details

Recent ICE actions in Phoenix have led to the killing of Alex Pretti and Renée Good, prompting an outpouring of community grief and anger. In response, local faith leaders are drawing on biblical principles to guide residents in various forms of nonviolent resistance and support. This includes creating 'sanctuary' spaces and networks in neighborhoods, organizing public lament and testimony events, providing trauma-informed pastoral care for affected families, and considering direct action against unjust systems - while also cautioning against illegal activities that could further endanger vulnerable populations.

  • Federal immigration enforcement actions have escalated in Phoenix in recent months.
  • The killings of Alex Pretti and Renée Good occurred in late 2025.

The players

Josh Garber

A local faith leader who is providing guidance and support to the Phoenix community in response to the ICE enforcement actions.

The Arizona Whistle Project

A grassroots initiative that has distributed whistles to residents as a form of collective rapid response to spot and document ICE activity in neighborhoods.

The Arizona Faith Network

A statewide interfaith organization that is partnering with local congregations to coordinate a faith-based response to the ICE enforcement actions.

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What they’re saying

“What do we do about ICE killing and taking people? I think that, of all the people I know, you might know.”

— Anonymous friend (Text message to Josh Garber)

“As people of faith, we're often asked, 'What should we do?' Scripture doesn't offer a playbook for every moment, but it does illustrate a pattern of care, courage, and justice that can give shape to what our resistance looks like.”

— Josh Garber, Faith leader (anabaptistworld.org)

What’s next

The Arizona Faith Network is organizing a series of public lament and testimony events in the coming weeks to provide space for the community to grieve, name harm, and explore next steps for accountability and reform.

The takeaway

In the face of unjust immigration enforcement actions, faith leaders in Phoenix are calling on residents to respond with biblical principles of hospitality, justice, and nonviolent resistance - creating sanctuary spaces, engaging in public witness, offering pastoral care, and considering direct action against oppressive systems.