Statement by ICE Acting Director Todd M. Lyons on Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz’s anti-ICE comments

“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.’ This abhorrent, dehumanizing and ignorant comment should not be tolerated. 

It seems that Mr. Walz prefers violent criminal aliens are released into Minnesota’s communities. 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. Assaults against ICE officers are up over 400% from this time period last year, and part of that is because politicians like Gov. Walz are careless with their politically motivated rhetoric. He should issue an immediate apology to the men and women protecting his communities.”