Hope Walz, the daughter of Minnesota Governor and former vice-presidential candidate Tim Walz, used a Christmas Day message to publicly condemn U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, aligning herself with progressive activist rhetoric critical of federal immigration enforcement. The remarks add to a growing pattern of politically charged statements from the 24-year-old, who has repeatedly targeted President Trump and law enforcement institutions.
In a video posted to social media on Christmas Day, Walz offered holiday greetings before sharply criticizing ICE. She said she was holding “neighbors that ICE has been terrorizing near and dear to my heart,” while also expressing solidarity with unhoused individuals and others she said were struggling. Walz framed the holiday as an opportunity to extend “love and light” to those she believes are harmed by federal enforcement actions.
The comments drew attention because of her father’s prominent role in Democratic politics and his previous position as his party’s vice-presidential nominee. ICE, a federal agency tasked with enforcing immigration law and combating transnational crime, has remained a frequent target of progressive activists who argue its operations are inherently abusive. Republicans and law enforcement officials counter that ICE plays a critical role in public safety, border security, and combating human trafficking and drug smuggling.
Walz’s Christmas message is the latest example of her increasingly outspoken political activism. In August, she posted a video criticizing President Trump in vulgar terms, accusing him of what she described as “bitch baby” behavior in Washington, D.C. That video was used to segue into a broader critique of the U.S. criminal justice system and federal crime enforcement policies.
During that earlier post, Walz cited her academic exposure at the University of Minnesota, where she said she read Locking Up Our Own by James Forman Jr. She also recommended The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander, books frequently promoted in progressive academic circles. Walz argued that these works explain what she described as modern mass incarceration and claimed federal crime policies disproportionately target minorities while benefiting “rich and white men.”
She further asserted that President Trump’s law-and-order agenda represents a continuation of long-standing federal practices rather than a departure, dismissing his crime crackdown as “more of it.” Conservatives have long rejected that framing, arguing that tougher enforcement policies are necessary to reduce crime, protect vulnerable communities, and restore order after years of leniency in major cities.
In April, Walz announced she would not attend graduate school, stating she did not wish to support institutions that, in her view, fail to back student protest movements. That decision was praised by progressive activists but criticized by others as emblematic of ideological conformity within higher education.
Hope Walz does not hold public office, but her statements continue to attract attention due to her family’s political profile and the broader national debate over immigration enforcement, crime, and public safety. Her comments come as immigration remains a top concern for voters, particularly as border encounters and migrant-related crime continue to strain local communities across the country.
The episode highlights the cultural and political divide surrounding ICE and federal enforcement, especially during the Trump administration’s renewed focus on border security and interior enforcement. While activists frame ICE as oppressive, supporters argue the agency is essential to upholding the rule of law — a divide increasingly reflected even in holiday messages from prominent political families.
