Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz faces backlash for comparing Trump’s immigration enforcement to Nazi Gestapo in law school speech.

Walz Sparks Controversy in Commencement Remarks

Governor Tim Walz of Minnesota ignited a political firestorm over the weekend after invoking Nazi-era language during a commencement address at the University of Minnesota Law School. Walz compared President Donald Trump’s immigration policies to actions carried out by the Gestapo, Germany’s secret police during the Nazi regime.

“Donald Trump’s modern-day Gestapo is scooping folks up off the streets,” Walz said. “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.”

The remarks were delivered Saturday as Walz addressed graduating law students, warning them they were entering into “a genuine emergency” in the nation’s political and legal landscape. “Some would say, ‘Boy, this is getting way too political for a commencement address,’” Walz acknowledged. “But I would argue, I wouldn’t be honoring my oath if I didn’t address this head on.”

Administration, Conservatives Condemn Nazi Comparison

The comments triggered immediate and forceful reactions from conservative figures and Trump administration officials. White House deputy chief of staff for policy Stephen Miller called Walz’s remarks “vile anti-American language” and accused the governor of inciting unrest. “This can only be construed as inciting insurrection and violence,” Miller posted on X.

The Department of Homeland Security also condemned the comparison. “It is absolutely sickening to compare ICE law enforcement agents to the Gestapo,” the department said in a statement. “ICE officers are now facing a 413% increase in assaults. Our message is clear: DO NOT come to this country illegally. If you do, we will arrest you, deport you, and you will never return.”

The White House rapid response account highlighted recent ICE arrests of violent criminals in Minnesota, pushing back on the characterization of federal law enforcement as tyrannical. “Disgraced loser @GovTimWalz thinks ICE agents are the ‘modern day Gestapo,’” the post stated, listing crimes allegedly committed by individuals ICE had recently detained.

Republican strategist Matt Whitlock noted on X that assaults on ICE agents have surged more than 500%, linking the increase to rhetoric like Walz’s. “Tim Walz knows exactly what he’s doing here,” he wrote. Others accused the governor of leveraging the platform for political gain, citing past comparisons he made between Trump’s policies and Soviet gulags.

Opponents Cite Hypocrisy and COVID Record

Critics also resurfaced Walz’s COVID-era governance to question his moral authority. “Don’t forget that it was Tim Walz who locked down our state for 15 months, established a tip line for people to report on their neighbors, closed our schools and sent small business owners to jail,” Republican gubernatorial candidate Kendall Qualls posted. “Tim Walz is the real tyrant and modern-day Gestapo.”

Walz has not publicly responded to the latest criticism. His office did not immediately return requests for comment. However, the governor’s remarks come on the heels of previous controversies surrounding his rhetorical style, including a statement last month where he likened Trump’s immigration agenda to Soviet labor camps and boasted about his ability to “code talk to White guys watching football.”

The episode adds to a growing pattern of heated political discourse as the immigration debate intensifies ahead of the midterm elections. As the backlash unfolds, observers note that while Walz’s language has mobilized his critics, it may also galvanize his progressive base.