Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons is demanding that former Democratic vice-presidential candidate Tim Walz apologize after he called agents "[President] Donald Trump's modern-day Gestapo."
Lyons said that "if the governor doesn't like the laws, he's free to advocate that Congress change them, but he should refrain from putting ICE officers in danger by likening them to one of the most appalling groups in history."
During a commencement speech at the University of Minnesota law school over the weekend, Walz, a Democrat and the governor of Minnesota, described Trump as a "tyrant" and told students they "are graduating into a genuine emergency."
"Some would say, 'Boy, this is getting way too political for a commencement address,'" Walz told students during his commencement address on Saturday. "But I would argue, I wouldn't be honoring my oath if I didn't address this head on."
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He then proceeded to compare the Trump administration's ongoing deportations of criminal illegal immigrants to the Nazi secret police force of the 1930s and 1940s.
"I'm gonna start with the flashing red light - 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."
Walz's comments drew strong condemnation from Lyons, who released a statement on Tuesday in which he pointed out that the commencement fell during National Police Week.
"On the final day of National Police Week - when those brave enough to put on a badge and a uniform mourn their fallen brothers and sisters - Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz referred to my professional, hard-working ICE agents and officers as 'modern-day Gestapo,'" said Lyons.
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The acting ICE director said that Walz's "abhorrent, dehumanizing and ignorant comment should not be tolerated."
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Lyons said that assaults against ICE officers have risen by over 400% from the same time last year.
He placed part of the blame for the rise in assaults against ICE agents on "politicians like Gov. Walz are careless with their politically motivated rhetoric."
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White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Stephen Miller has also responded to Walz's statement, saying in a Sunday X post that "this vile anti-American language can only be construed as inciting insurrection and violence."
