Immigrant Church Nations Capital
Reverend Carlos Reyes works in the office of the Shrine of the Sacred Heart as the parish cat, Maseo, named after Friar Masseo, a close companion of St. Francis, in Washington, Oct. 12, 2025.
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The Shrine of the Sacred Heart, a Catholic church a short drive from the White House, was intended to be a sanctuary for worshippers. Now, its mostly immigrant congregation is steeped in fear. Church leaders say more than 40 parishioners have been detained or deported since federal law enforcement stepped up their deployment in August. Many parishioners are too scared to leave home to attend Mass, buy food or seek medical care as the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown targets their communities. The parish was established a century ago by Irish, Italian and German immigrants. Today, most of its 5,600 members came from El Salvador.