Tim Walz blasts Trump immigration crackdown for ‘gulags,’ claims students are ‘swept up’

In his state of the state address, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz did not hold back in his criticism of President Donald Trump and his administration’s immigration policies. Walz accused the president of tearing up the values that once made America a shining light in the world, particularly in regards to the deportation of illegal immigrants, suspected gang members, and terrorist sympathizers.

“The president has chosen to tear up the values that once made America the shining light of the world. In this land of the free and home of the brave, we have university students being swept up, shoved into unmarked vans, and fathers being tossed into Salvadorian gulags without a hint of due process,” Walz stated in his address.

The governor emphasized that if one claims to love freedom, but does not believe that freedom is for everybody, then what they love is not freedom, but privilege. His remarks garnered a standing ovation on the Minnesota House floor.

Walz indirectly referred to the case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, an illegal immigrant and suspected member of MS-13, who was mistakenly deported to El Salvador by the administration. Despite allegations of ties to the violent gang and domestic violence charges, Democrats have urged the administration to comply with court orders to bring Abrego Garcia back to the U.S.

In addition to criticizing the administration’s immigration policies, Walz also took aim at Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency, accusing them of wanting to take away Medicaid coverage. He highlighted the uncertainty and chaos facing the nation, attributing it to the president’s actions in dismantling federal government services.

Furthermore, Walz criticized Trump’s reciprocal tariffs policies, claiming that they are causing turmoil in the economy and hurting working-class Americans. He accused the president of being out of touch with the struggles faced by everyday people.

Overall, Gov. Walz’s state of the state address was a passionate denouncement of the Trump administration’s immigration and economic policies. He called for a return to the values that once made America a beacon of freedom and opportunity for all.