The special envoy assigned by the Trump administration to address anti-Semitism has strongly criticized Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, drawing a controversial parallel between his actions against illegal immigration and historical events like the Holocaust and the plight of Anne Frank.
On Sunday, Walz informed reporters that Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, was fatally shot during an interaction with immigration officials. He expressed concern about how some children in Minnesota now feel scared to step outside due to the aggressive approaches taken by federal agents.
“Children in Minnesota are hiding at home out of fear,” Walz stated during a press conference. He referenced the story of Anne Frank, a German-Jewish girl who documented her experiences while evading Nazi persecution, saying, “Many of us grew up reading those stories.”
Walz went on to suggest that there could be a narrative written about these current circumstances in Minnesota, adding that there’s a leader who has the power to change things—meaning President Donald Trump.
The next day, Rabbi Yehuda Kaprun, who monitors anti-Semitism for the State Department and serves as Trump’s special envoy, rebuffed Walz’s comparison. He highlighted the stark differences between enforcing immigration laws and committing acts of genocide. “This kind of ignorance diminishes the horrors of the Holocaust,” he remarked on social media. He pointed out that Anne Frank was legally in the Netherlands and was captured not for any wrongdoing but solely due to her ethnicity and religion, stating, “Her story has nothing to do with the illegal immigration issues and fraud occurring in Minnesota.”
Kaprun further emphasized that celebrating the hard work of law enforcement should not be overshadowed by what he termed “historical illiteracy and anti-Semitism.”
The organization Stop Antisemitism, which tracks incidents of anti-Jewish hatred, also reacted to Walz’s comments. They asserted that, as anti-Semitism surges worldwide, those invoking the Holocaust and Anne Frank for political gain should feel a sense of shame. “To exploit the murder of six million Jews while ignoring the violent anti-Semitism present today isn’t a tribute; it’s a misuse of history,” they posted.
The Trump administration, along with the Department of Homeland Security, has maintained that federal agents are primarily targeting undocumented immigrants who have engaged in criminal activities in the U.S. According to DHS, some of those apprehended have been involved in violent crimes or sex crimes against minors.
