Backlash Over Christmas Post by Rep. Swalwell
The architect behind key immigration policies at the Department of Homeland Security took to social media to respond to California Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell after a controversial Christmas image he shared. Swalwell’s post featured an image from a nursery school in Bethlehem, alongside the caption: “May this be the last Christmas you experience this nightmare.” This sparked significant criticism during the ongoing 12 Days of Christmas.
“Yes, let this be the last Christmas that un-American pedantic idiots chose illegal aliens over American citizens,” reacted U.S. Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino, who then engaged others on social media. He also replied to a Florida woman who expressed concern about Swalwell’s post, exclaiming that it was outrageous a congressman would share something like that after such an extensive acceptance process.
Bovino further acknowledged the critic by saying, “Well said… Merry Christmas,” and mentioned he would follow her on social media platform X. Another critic brought up Swalwell’s purported connections to a Chinese spy named Fanfang—something the congressman has denied. Bovino responded with a touch of sarcasm, “Oh, yeah, how could I forget to mention that?”
Some observers pointed out that Swalwell seemed to misrepresent the reasons Joseph and Mary traveled to Bethlehem and their subsequent flight to Egypt. This biblical narrative is often cited by immigration advocates in discussions about border policies.
The passage from Luke’s Gospel recounts that Caesar Augustus ordered a census throughout the Roman Empire, requiring Joseph, a descendant of King David, to return to Bethlehem for registration. Meanwhile, in the Gospel of Matthew, it’s described how an angel instructed Joseph in a dream to take his family to Egypt to escape King Herod’s decree to kill the newborn Jesus.
This biblical story frequently incites debate regarding its relevance to modern immigration discussions. Immigration advocates might note that Egypt was a Roman province, suggesting that the Holy Family was fleeing rather than emigrating as legal refugees. This point often gets pushed around in conversations about contemporary immigration laws.
Some, however, argue against this interpretation. Conservative activist Robbie Starbuck remarked that Mary and Joseph were indeed lawful immigrants under the Roman Empire’s regulations, stating, “Rome ordered a census and Joseph had to be counted because Bethlehem was his city. It’s basically the opposite of illegal immigration.” He claimed that secure borders have support even within Biblical texts.
One critic even shared a humorous image of actor Jerry Bunman impersonating “Uncle Frank” from the holiday classic “Home Alone,” seemingly poking fun at Swalwell’s portrayal. Fox News Digital reached out to Rep. Swalwell for comment but did not receive a response in time for publication.
