The Christmas nativity at Oak Lawn United Methodist Church depicts the Holy Family in a cage, surrounded by barbed wire, and baby Jesus nowhere to be seen.
The scene features silhouettes of Mary and Joseph, with baby Jesus noticeably absent. Mary and Joseph have bicycle wheels for halos, and sit under a cross with a spotlight. A chainlink fence, topped with barbed wire, surrounds the display.
‼️DALLAS — To protest ICE, Oak Lawn UMC has put the Holy Family in a cage and removed baby Jesus.
Story incoming @DallasExpress
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— Logan Washburn (@loganwashburn76) December 15, 2025
“We really felt called to make a statement during Advent that was inclusive of those that are in the margins,” said Oak Lawn United Methodist Church Associate Pastor Ryan Wager to The Dallas Express. “The need and the desire to show what’s really going on right now in the immigration climate, and what it looks like for us during Advent to have the Holy Family in context with what’s going on.”
When church officials announced the nativity scene on December 5, they said it demonstrates “the journey of migrant families.” According to the church website, it will remain through New Year’s.
“May this scene call us to make room — in our hearts, in our city, in our policies — for the Christ who comes as an unhoused immigrant child,” the church’s website reads.
Wager sat down with The Dallas Express in his office, filled with rainbow regalia. The reporter asked why Christ is absent from the scene.
“It’s not Christmas yet,” he said, “But also, is he separated from his parents?”
For clarification, the Bible never depicts the baby Jesus as an illegal immigrant.
In Luke 2, Caesar Augustus ordered a census (a count of people for taxes). The whole area—including Judea (where Joseph and Mary lived)—was part of the Roman Empire. Joseph and pregnant Mary traveled from Nazareth to Bethlehem (Joseph’s family hometown) to register. This was internal travel inside the same empire, like driving from one state to another today. No borders crossed, no immigration issues.
In Matthew 2, King Herod (a local ruler under Rome) wanted to kill baby Jesus. An angel told Joseph to flee with Mary and Jesus to Egypt for safety. At that time (around 4-6 BC), Judea was a Roman client kingdom, but Egypt had been a full Roman province since 30 BC (after Cleopatra’s defeat). As such, going to Egypt was like moving from one part of the Roman Empire to another—not crossing an international border.
In short: Jesus had no illegal entry, no “visa” needed—everything happened inside Roman-controlled lands.
“I think if Jesus were an immigrant, if his family were trying to cross the border right now, they would have a difficult time,” Wager said.
The Dallas Express asked Wager how the church squares its modern depiction of Jesus with historical reality.
“They were fleeing for political reasons,” he said. “Regardless of what the border looked like, they were still fleeing from persecution and are depicted in what that looks like today.”
Wager worked at AT&T for 25 years before joining the church. When Wager first attempted to join the church, the bishop denied the request, so the church appointed him on its own.
Wager is a “passionate advocate for justice and inclusion – shaped by his study of queer and liberation theology,” according to the church website. Many Christian theologians criticize liberation theology as Marxist for viewing scripture through the lens of worldly power and oppression.
The Dallas Express asked Wager how he feels the display shows the Gospel story on the spiritual level.
“That’s sort of the intention, to share as we’re all preparing for Christmas,” he said. “While we talk about hope and joy and peace and love, there are people who are not able to experience those things during this season. So it’s sort of against the tapestry of what Advent calls us to be, or in the place that calls us to be, what it looks like for folks today.”
The Dallas Express observed numerous flags, banners, and vestments promoting LGBT ideology across the interior of the church. Additionally, at the church entrance, officials posted a notice barring ICE and the Department of Homeland Security from entry without a warrant.
The church also banned @ICEgov and @DHSgov from entering without a warrant.
— Logan Washburn (@loganwashburn76) December 15, 2025
The outside of the Holy Family’s cage also features numerous ideological messages.
“Holy are trans lives.”
“Holy are bodies hurt by hate.”
“Holy are our unsheltered neighbors.”
“We’re talking about all the folks that find themselves in the margins,” Wager said. “So whether it’s immigrants and refugees, asylum seekers or unsheltered neighbors, that’s what the signs depict – ‘Holy is the refugee,’ ‘holy is our unsheltered neighbor,’ women – anybody that is in the margins.”
Just down the stairs to the left, the church also asks people to refrain from sleeping, littering, or relieving themselves around the building.
Church officials posted signs:
“HOLY ARE TRANS LIVES”
“HOLY ARE OUR UNSHELTERED NEIGHBORS”
(The church also asked them to refrain from sleeping, littering, and to “not use the outside of the building as a restroom.”)
— Logan Washburn (@loganwashburn76) December 15, 2025
An individual dressed as an animal was posing on the steps, beside the nativity.
This person, who goes by “Alex,” was a self-described animal “cosplayer” who expressed support to The Dallas Express for the scene.
“It’s good for all the minorities like that to be represented, especially at a place of worship,” Alex said.
After Republican Gov. Greg Abbott banned rainbow public crosswalks, Oak Lawn UMC painted its front steps rainbow in defiance, as The Dallas Express reported. Sr. Pastor Rachel Allison, who won this year’s “LGBTQ+ Texan Of The Year” from The Dallas Voice, reportedly referred to the surrounding blocks as the “gayborhood.”
