PULSE POINTS:
❓What Happened: Former Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz compared U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to Adolf Hitler’s Gestapo during a commencement speech.
👥 Who’s Involved: Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN), ICE, Trump aide Stephen Miller, Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
📍 Where & When: University of Minnesota Law School, Saturday.
💬 Key Quote: “Donald Trump’s modern-day Gestapo is scooping folks up off the streets,” said Walz.
⚠️ Impact: Strong backlash from Trump allies and the DHS, citing increased assaults on ICE officers and misleading claims about deportation processes.
IN FULL:
Minnesota Governor and former Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz sparked controversy during a Saturday address to graduates of the University of Minnesota Law School, where he referred to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents as “Trump’s modern-day Gestapo.” The Gestapo, a secret police force under Adolf Hitler’s National Socialist regime in Germany, was responsible for widespread atrocities and repression across Europe.
Walz alleged that ICE agents were abducting individuals in unmarked vans, denying them trials, and sending them to “foreign torture dungeons.” Notably, Walz’s 2024 running mate Kamala Harris previously compared ICE to the Ku Klux Klan (KKK).
Walz’s remarks provoked immediate backlash from Trump allies and federal agencies. “This vile anti-American language can only be construed as inciting insurrection and violence,” said Stephen Miller, a senior aide to President Donald J. Trump. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) oversees ICE and called the comparison “absolutely sickening.” A DHS statement noted, “Attacks and demonization of ICE and our partners is wrong. ICE officers are now facing a 413 percent increase in assaults.”
Critics argue Walz’s claims misrepresent ICE’s role and the deportation process. Migrants facing deportation are provided legal avenues to contest their cases before immigration judges within the Department of Justice (DOJ), not criminal courts. Deportation orders are only issued after due process is observed, though expedited removal is possible for individuals who have been in the U.S. for less than two years.
Walz’s comments also come amid broader Democratic efforts to undermine Trump’s immigration policies, including his campaign promise to deport millions of illegal migrants, with pro-migration groups working to obstruct ICE operations.