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In a significant legal and spiritual victory for migrant advocates, religious leaders were permitted to enter an ICE processing facility in Broadview, Illinois, on Ash Wednesday (Feb. 18, 2026) to provide pastoral care to detainees.
The visit followed a preliminary injunction issued by U.S. District Judge Robert W. Gettleman, who ruled that the government’s blanket denial of spiritual consolation violated the religious freedom of the clergy and the migrants.
“This is a day that speaks to those who live in the shadows,” Cardinal Blase Cupich, Archbishop of Chicago, told more than 3,500 faithful at a Mass attended by members of the Coalition for Spiritual and Public Leadership. Some 2,000 sat and stood in the courtyard outside Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church, with 1,500 more inside the Sanctuary on Wednesday evening.
The procession has returned to the church; Fr. Fossá concludes the event alongside Archbishop Cupich by telling attendees, "may this be the mark of our Lenten journey."
— Dave Byrnes (@djbyrnes1.bsky.social) February 18, 2026 at 9:17 PM
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Earlier that afternoon, a small delegation of two priests and one sister had been granted access to Broadview Detention Center, where they offered communion and ashes to detainees and guards inside. They noted the visible distress of the detainees when they interacted with them.
Key Highlights of the Visit
The Mission: Two priests and a religious sister from the Coalition for Spiritual and Public Leadership (CSPL) administered Holy Communion and distributed ashes to four young adult detainees and three staff members.
The Scene: Escorted by police, the small procession was blessed by fellow clergy before entering the facility. Fr. Leandro Fossá described the detainees as being in a state of "uncertainty and confusion," yet visibly moved by the Church’s presence.
Symbolic Repentance: Fr. Paul Keller, provincial superior of the Claretians, noted the irony of the day, stating he felt he was "representing a society with dirty hands" and asking the detainees for forgiveness rather than the other way around.
Legal and Social Context
The lawsuit, filed in November, sought to restore a 20-year tradition of pastoral visits that had been halted during a recent federal immigration crackdown known as "Operation Midway Blitz." * Impact of the Crackdown: Recent enforcement in Chicago has led to hundreds of arrests and reports of severe overcrowding at the Broadview facility.
Demographics: Statistics show that 80% of migrants arrested in such sweeps identify as Christian, with 18% of U.S. Catholics living in households vulnerable to deportation.
Future Access: While the court order specifically mandated access for Ash Wednesday, the judge instructed both parties to negotiate a permanent schedule for regular visits and prayers.
Cardinal Cupich Leads Mass for 3,500
Following the facility visit, Cardinal Blase J. Cupich presided over an outdoor Mass at Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Melrose Park. The service, attended by thousands, focused on the dignity of the undocumented.
"God does not need papers to know where you are... The world may look at your legal status, but God looks at your heart." — Cardinal Blase J. Cupich
The evening concluded with a candlelit procession. For many in attendance, like longtime resident Maria Lopez, the event served as a shield of spiritual protection in a climate of "existential despair."
Sources: https://www.csplaction.org/in-the-news/ash-wed-broadview-mass - OSV News
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