The video, which went viral on social media, depicts a priest outside a church defiantly shouting at Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. The priest declares: “I don’t know what god you worship, maybe an orange one, but my God is love! Now go and don’t come back!” His supporters applaud as he mocks President Donald Trump.
The post, published on December 1, has received tens of thousands of views. However, according to PolitiFact, the video depicts events that never happened and was generated using artificial intelligence.
PolitiFact’s AI-detection software determined the video is “99.9% likely to contain AI-generated or deepfake content.” The user who shared the video sells courses on creating AI content for social media profit and has posted similar videos on Facebook and TikTok.
While this particular video is fake, real religious groups have used their platforms to protest immigration policies. In Illinois, Lake Street Church created a Nativity scene with baby Jesus in zip ties to symbolize him being hunted by ICE agents. Another church in Massachusetts, Saint Susanna Parish, displayed an empty nativity and a sign reading “ICE was here,” implying the Holy Family were taken by immigration forces. The Boston archdiocese has urged removal of the latter protest, but the church refuses.
