Minnesota Governor Tim Walz is facing backlash after referring to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents as “Trump’s modern-day Gestapo” during a commencement address at the University of Minnesota Law School on Saturday.

Speaking to the graduating class, Walz criticized immigration enforcement efforts under President Donald Trump’s administration, stating, “Donald Trump’s modern-day Gestapo is scooping folks up off the streets. They’re in unmarked vans, wearing masks, being shipped off to foreign torture dungeons. No chance to mount a defense, not even a chance to kiss a loved one goodbye, just grabbed up by masked agents, shoved into those vans, and disappeared.”

He went on to claim that individuals apprehended by ICE have no opportunity for a trial and that the government “refuses to give them a trial,” adding, “We’re supposed to just take their word for it.”

Erick Martinez Mondragon, a 25-year-old citizen of Mexico and a member of the 18th Street gang. His criminal convictions in Minnesota include aggravated robbery (of a female at gunpoint), robbery, illegal possession of a firearm, and drunk driving. pic.twitter.com/TUozNW7Bn2

— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) May 18, 2025

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The comparison to the Gestapo—the secret police of Nazi Germany responsible for the persecution and mass murder of millions during World War II—prompted immediate condemnation from federal officials and Trump allies.

“It is absolutely sickening to compare ICE law enforcement agents to the Gestapo,” said a statement from the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE.

“Attacks and demonization of ICE and our partners is wrong. ICE officers are now facing a 413% increase in assaults.”

Trump senior adviser Stephen Miller also responded to the remarks, stating, “This vile anti-American language can only be construed as inciting insurrection and violence.”

ICE was established in 2003 to enforce federal immigration laws, combat cross-border crime, and protect national security.

Its officers are authorized to arrest and deport individuals who are in the country illegally or who violate immigration law.

Deportation proceedings are conducted by immigration judges within the Department of Justice, not by criminal courts.

Walz’s remarks come as Democrats continue to challenge President Trump’s renewed efforts to deport illegal aliens following his reelection in 2024.

During the campaign, Trump pledged to carry out a mass deportation operation targeting individuals who entered the U.S. under policies implemented by Joe Biden.

Critics of those policies have pointed to examples of criminal activity by individuals who remained in the U.S. despite prior deportation orders.

One such case involved Alexi Saborit-Viltres, a 42-year-old illegal alien from Cuba, who was convicted of murdering his girlfriend, America Thayer, in Shakopee, Minnesota, in July 2021.

Saborit-Viltres had been ordered deported more than a decade earlier but remained in the U.S. after ICE was unable to obtain travel documents.

Friends of Thayer, who worked at MyPillow and had legally immigrated to the United States, noted she had changed her name to “America” after becoming a naturalized citizen.

According to police, the murder occurred after Thayer told Saborit-Viltres she wanted to end their relationship.

Support for stricter immigration enforcement has remained strong among the American public.

A poll conducted in July 2024 by the Catholic Church found that 43 percent of self-identified Catholics favored reducing migration, while only 23 percent wanted more.

While Walz’s remarks appeared aimed at energizing the Democratic Party’s progressive base following a defeat in the 2024 election, they have also intensified the national debate over immigration enforcement.

President Trump has stated that his administration will move forward with efforts to enforce immigration laws and prioritize the deportation of individuals unlawfully present in the country.

The White House and Department of Homeland Security have not announced any changes in ICE’s operational procedures in response to Walz’s comments.

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