Faith-Based Daily Awareness Post 22 December 2025

These updates are shared to help raise the situational awareness of Faith-Based organizations to best defend against and mitigate the impacts from all-hazards threats including physical security, cybersecurity, and natural disasters.

Reminder there will be no DAP from December 24^th through December 28^th, the DAP will begin posting again on December 29^th.

Christmas loses its festive spirit: ICE fears cast shadow over religious celebrations

The from EL Pais article reports that in communities with large immigrant populations, traditional Christmas religious festivities are being dampened by fear of ICE raids under the Trump administration’s expanded immigration enforcement, which no longer exempts sensitive locations like churches from enforcement actions. At St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church in Maryland, outdoor events such as posadas and processions have been moved indoors or canceled, attendance at services has dropped dramatically, and parishioners, especially undocumented immigrants, are afraid to attend Mass out of fear of arrest or deportation. Houses of worship have resorted to creative protective measures like having U.S. citizens stand guard and offering virtual services, though these lack the sense of community. Some congregations have adapted traditional Nativity scenes to convey protest messages about immigration policy, drawing parallels between the Holy Family’s flight and the experiences of contemporary immigrant families within their communities. While the display itself is not inherently security-relevant, it becomes so when viewed in the context of documented vandalism and damage directed at similar politically or socially themed Nativity scenes in past incidents. As noted in earlier DAPs, these displays have been targeted for defacement or destruction, underscoring the potential risk to visible, outdoor religious installations and the need for situational awareness. Religious leaders say that these fears have not only dampened festive spirits but also strained community resources and participation in cherished Christmas traditions.

Analyst Comments: From an operational and security perspective, the situation highlights how fear-driven risk perceptions can significantly alter participation in large, predictable gatherings, even those traditionally considered low-risk. Reduced attendance, last-minute cancellations, and shifts from outdoor to indoor events all change the threat and vulnerability profile for religious institutions, affecting crowd management, visibility, and emergency planning. When communities disengage from normal routines, it can also strain social cohesion and reduce the effectiveness of informal safety networks that often exist around faith-based events. For organizers, this underscores the importance of adaptive planning, clear communication, and coordination with trusted community members to ensure that celebrations religious or otherwise can continue in a way that prioritizes both safety and continuity of operations.

Several Catholic schools in Kansas receive bomb threats Friday morning

On Friday, December 19, 2025, multiple Catholic schools in the Kansas City area were targeted with bomb threats, including Holy Spirit Catholic School in Overland Park, Prince of Peace Catholic School in Olathe, and St. Agnes Catholic School in Roeland Park, prompting evacuations and police responses. Law enforcement quickly determined the threats were hoaxes or “swatting” calls with no credible devices found, and students and staff were reported safe while investigations continue with support from local authorities and, in some cases, federal partners.

Analyst Comments: From a risk and preparedness standpoint, incidents like these underscore that religious schools are often overlooked in broader discussions about threats to educational institutions, despite sharing many of the same vulnerabilities as public schools. Bomb threats, whether credible or hoaxes can cause significant disruption, trauma, and resource strain, particularly for smaller faith-based schools that may have fewer dedicated security assets. The coordinated nature of threats across multiple institutions also highlights how attackers may seek to exploit predictability in school schedules and emergency response procedures. Overall, these cases reinforce the need for inclusive threat assessments, clear evacuation and communication protocols, and stronger coordination between religious schools, law enforcement, and community security organizations to ensure these environments are not treated as a security blind spot.

The 10 Most Violent Church Attacks of 2025

The article from Christian Warrior Training reviews the ten most violent attacks on churches and Christian institutions in 2025, highlighting patterns and lessons for security teams. It begins with a deadly combined vehicle-ramming, shooting, and arson attack on an LDS meetinghouse in Michigan and includes other severe incidents such as a Minneapolis Catholic school mass shooting during worship that killed children and a Kentucky church that became a crime scene after a trooper was shot. Other events include a fatal parking-lot shooting in Mississippi, a mass stabbing at a Christian shelter in Oregon, and a threatening gunman in Alabama who never fired but terrorized congregants, illustrating that threats can take many forms. The list also extends internationally, noting a large-scale attack in Nigeria where over 200 Christians were killed by militants. Several attempted attacks were thwarted by security teams or staff before guns were fired, emphasizing early intervention and vigilance. Throughout, the article stresses that violence can involve firearms, edged weapons, vehicles, and fire, and it underlines the importance of preparedness, communication, and comprehensive security planning so that worship can continue safely. 

Analyst Comments: From a threat and risk perspective, the incidents outlined reinforce that places of worship face a wide spectrum of attack methods, ranging from firearms and edged weapons to vehicles and arson, often occurring during predictable times such as services or community events. The cases also show that violence is not limited to sanctuaries themselves but can occur in parking lots, adjacent facilities, or during ancillary activities like schools and shelters. Notably, several attacks were mitigated or stopped due to early detection, alert staff, or trained security presence, underscoring the value of layered security, situational awareness, and clear response protocols. Overall, the pattern highlights the need for faith-based organizations to balance openness with preparedness, regularly assess vulnerabilities across their entire campus, and ensure volunteers and staff are equipped to recognize warning signs and respond quickly to protect congregants.