CHICAGO – Let it be known far and wide that Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson, who has called himself “a Bible-believing Christian,” has no problem with Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents shooting a pastor in the head with pepper balls.
The man who, when asked to describe his worldview, once said “grab a Bible off your shelf and read it,” also has no problem with federal agents violently arresting journalists.
Is there an updated version of the Bible that I missed? Because I don’t remember anything in my Catholic upbringing that was pro-priest or supportive of masked government agents throwing journalists to the ground.
Does Johnson see ICE’s violent behavior and believe no lines have been crossed?
The Speaker of the House of Representatives was asked this question on October 14: “We’ve seen images from Chicago of federal agents shooting religious leaders with pepper balls and arresting journalists. Where is the line for you on what is acceptable conduct by federal authorities?”
To which Johnson—the aforementioned Bible fanatic—replied, “I haven’t seen them cross the line yet.”
Actually?
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ICE agents fired projectiles at a pastor. How’s that for not crossing the line?
In September, ICE agents fired pepper balls and hit the Rev. David Black of the First Presbyterian Church of Chicago several times in the head and body.
He is now part of a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union and described what happened like this: “I extended my arms, palms outstretched toward the ICE officers, in a traditional Christian posture of prayer and blessing. Without warning, and without any order or request for me and others to disperse, I was suddenly shot by ICE officers. In a rapid-fire shot, I was struck seven times in my arms, face and torso with explosive pellets containing some type of chemical agent. “It was clear to me that the officers were aiming for my head, which they hit twice.”
Apparently, that doesn’t cross the line. Perhaps Johnson considers this pastor to be too woke and therefore deserves to be hit with projectiles?
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ICE is attacking journalists and taking innocent people off the streets
The ACLU lawsuit claims that reporters at the nonprofit news outlet Block Club Chicago were also victims of ICE violence, noting that “at least four Block Club reporters or photographers were hit with pepper balls by federal agents at the Broadview ICE facility and were at risk of enduring other forms of force, despite remaining on public roads and away from the crowd, wearing visible press credentials, and showing other visible indications that they were there as members of the press.”
A WGN employee, Debbie Brockman, was knocked down by federal agents on October 10 while on her way to work. They handcuffed her and took her away in an unmarked vehicle where, according to her lawyer, she was held for about seven hours. She is a US citizen and has not been charged with any crime.
WGN-TV employee Debbie Brockman was walking to the bus stop as part of her morning commute when she was detained by U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents on Oct. 10, 2025, in Chicago.
In a statement, her lawyer said: “Ms. Brockman was thrown to the ground, beaten, handcuffed and had her pants pulled down exposing her bare buttocks. No one should be treated like this in this city, in this country or anywhere else in the world.”
Or as the top Republican in the US House of Representatives would call it: No big deal!
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What Bible is Mike Johnson reading? Maybe you need a new one.
Look, I realize this may sound controversial, but I am firmly on the side of those who consider shooting priests in the head with pepper balls wrong. The Bible I have read sends a message clear as day that things like kidnapping a random person on the street would fall into the category of “sin.”
I also remember the Bible, which Speaker Johnson said shapes his worldview and has some things to say about being kind to immigrants.
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Perhaps he forgot about those passages while he groveled before President Donald Trump. Johnson certainly seems to have missed this: “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim that you can see, your guilt remains.”
Haven’t crossed any ICE lines yet, Mike? In truth, there is no one blinder than he who does not want to see.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Top House Republican OK with Pastor Who Shot ICE | Opinion