The 24-year-old daughter of Minnesota Governor Tim Walz stirred controversy with a TikTok video comparing Jesus to a deported gang suspect. She claimed that if Jesus were alive today, “this administration would already have taken him and removed him from this country.” Her comments sparked intense reactions online and in political circles.
She seemed to refer to Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a 29-year-old El Salvadoran deported under suspicion of being in MS-13. “Two judges found that he was a member of MS-13,” DHS said. Reports also linked him to human trafficking. Garcia had claimed fear of retaliation from a rival gang if sent back.
Garcia’s wife, Jennifer Vasquez, had filed for an order of protection. She alleged he punched and scratched her, tore off her shirt, and left bruises. These allegations added more fuel to the controversy.
Now, a debate over due process has taken center stage. Did Garcia get a fair legal hearing before removal? House Majority Whip Tom Emmer defended the deportation Sunday on CNN, clashing with anchor Dana Bash.
In the video, Walz’s daughter went on: “Some people don’t want to talk about that. It truly is baffling how clear and laid out everything is and there is still people standing by it.” She voiced deep concern over public indifference.
“I believe in the good of people… we care about each other,” she said. “But that’s really being tested.” Her message: speak out—especially if you’re in a safe position to do so.
She ended with a stark warning: “We might be the only ones safe from what’s coming and some of the only people that are able to stop it.”
MS-13 remains one of the most violent gangs in the U.S., with over 10,000 members across 40 states. ICE describes the group as extremely brutal, targeting rivals, law enforcement, and communities alike.
The video has now drawn national attention, thrusting a governor’s daughter into a heated immigration and justice debate.