LOS ANGELES, June 13, 2025 – The Billy Graham Rapid Response Team (BG-RRT) is deploying crisis-trained chaplains to Los Angeles where civil unrest erupted earlier this week. Protests turned violent as anti-ICE sentiments rose resulting in federal law enforcement and military being mobilized and a curfew put in place in the city.
“We have seen a concerning and growing escalation of violence and destruction in Los Angeles and other major cities in the U.S.,” said Josh Holland, international director of the BG-RRT. “The Billy Graham Rapid Response Team has a history of answering the call to deploy amid civil unrest – from Ferguson, to Baltimore, to Charlotte. Our chaplains will offer a ministry of presence in L.A., providing emotional and spiritual care in an area that’s being overcome with destructive protests.”
In addition to Los Angeles, the BG-RRT is ministering to those affected by recent tornadoes in St. Louis, and offering hope and providing emotional comfort and spiritual care to families who have been forced to flee their homes in war-torn Ukraine.
For more information on the ministry, including videos, photos, news articles and an interactive map of former and current deployments, visit the BG-RRT press kit or BillyGraham.org/RRT. Updates can also be found at Facebook.com/RRTChaplains.
Media Opportunities
- Interviews with:
- Eric Hubbard, deputy director of the BG-RRT law enforcement ministry
- Chaplain coordinators in Los Angeles
- B-Roll and photos (please use with credit to Billy Graham Evangelistic Association)
- Interview request form
About the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team
The Billy Graham Rapid Response Team was developed by Franklin Graham and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association following the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. It has since grown into an international network of chaplains in the U.S., U.K., Canada and Australia who are specifically trained to deal with crisis situations. They have deployed to more than 890 disaster sites across the globe, including shootings, floods, hurricanes, wildfires and tornadoes.
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MEDIA CONTACT:
Lisa Moseley
lmoseley@bgea.org