Minnesota Governor Walz Compares ICE to Gestapo, DHS Denounces Remarks

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, the 2024 Democratic vice presidential candidate, sparked controversy by comparing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers to the Gestapo during a University of Minnesota Law School commencement speech, accusing them of conducting raids without due process. This rhetoric drew sharp criticism from the Department of Homeland Security and its Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin, who called the comparison "sickening" and highlighted a 400% increase in assaults on ICE agents, attributing it to such vilification. DHS emphasized the bravery of ICE officers who arrest dangerous criminal illegal aliens, including murderers and gang members, pointing to several recent arrests in Minnesota. Republican Jewish Coalition spokesperson Sam Markstein condemned Walz's remarks as a historically absurd trivialization of the Holocaust and a smear on law enforcement. The backlash underscores the intense political divide over immigration enforcement, with DHS reaffirming its stance against illegal immigration and pledging continued enforcement despite political criticism. Walz's comments and the ensuing responses reveal the ongoing tensions surrounding immigration policy and enforcement in the U.S.