‘If Jesus Were Alive Today President Donald Trump Would Deport Him Too,’ Says Hope Walz

As the Easter season arrived with spiritual reflection and resurrection in mind, an unexpected political storm was brewing in Minnesota.

Hope Walz, the daughter of Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and a young activist in her own right, has drawn national attention and intense backlash from Trump supporters for her sharp and emotionally charged comments comparing the deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia to what she imagines would be the fate of Jesus Christ under the Trump administration.

With the statement, “If Jesus were alive today, President Donald Trump would deport him too,” Hope Walz ignited a fierce debate on immigration, compassion, and justice in America.

Her statement came in the wake of renewed scrutiny over the case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a 29-year-old man who was deported to El Salvador in what his supporters describe as a tragic mistake by the Trump administration.

The White House maintains that Garcia was deported due to his alleged affiliation with the MS-13 gang, citing questionable evidence, including a now-debunked tattoo claim and a prior domestic abuse complaint. Yet, the refusal to reverse this decision has sparked outrage among immigrant rights advocates, progressives, and religious communities alike.

A Viral Video and a Controversial Analogy

Hope Walz, at just 24 years old, did not mince her words. In a video posted on social media, which quickly went viral, she expressed deep dismay over the treatment of immigrants under the Trump administration. Her analogy comparing Jesus to Kilmar Abrego Garcia shocked many, resonated with others, and predictably inflamed political tensions.

Read : Who is Kilmar Abrego Garcia Wrongfully Deported to El Salvador?

“If Jesus were alive today and in the United States, this administration would have already taken him and removed him from this country without due process,” she said. “They would have labeled him a threat, claimed he was part of a gang, and thrown him out without a second thought.”

Tim Walz’s daughter appears to compare alleged MS-13 gang member Kilmar Abrego Garcia to Jesus, says Trump would have deported Jesus for being a gang member.

I see the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.

“I believe in the good of people and like humanity, humans you know deep… pic.twitter.com/zxjXJmlwFb

— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) April 19, 2025

The video, raw and passionate, showed Hope speaking directly to viewers in what appeared to be a spontaneous moment of grief and frustration. “Some people don’t want to talk about that,” she said. “It truly is baffling how clear and laid out everything is and there is still people standing by it. I believe in the good of people… but that’s really being tested.”

Her analogy to Jesus, especially on the cusp of Easter, struck a nerve. For many Christians, Jesus represents the ultimate figure of compassion, humility, and sacrifice—characteristics often invoked in defense of marginalized groups, including refugees and immigrants. Yet others, particularly Trump loyalists, accused her of blasphemy and politicizing faith.

The controversy underscored how deeply divided America remains on questions of immigration, religion, and political leadership.

Kilmar Abrego Garcia: Mistaken Deportation or Justified Removal?

At the center of this fiery debate is Kilmar Abrego Garcia. Deported to El Salvador under the Trump administration’s intensified immigration enforcement, Garcia has become a symbol of what critics say is an unjust and overly aggressive deportation system.

According to his legal team and immigration advocates, Garcia was deported by mistake. His supporters argue that he had no serious criminal record and that the accusations against him were either fabricated or exaggerated. Chief among the evidence used to justify his deportation was a claim that he bore a tattoo on his knuckles that read “MS-13”—a notorious gang known for violent activity.

Trump himself brought up the tattoo claim during a public address, using it as visual evidence of Garcia’s alleged gang ties. “This is the hand of the man that the Democrats feel should be brought back to the United States,” Trump posted on social media, attaching an image. However, that tattoo has since been revealed as fake—possibly photoshopped or misrepresented.

Further complicating matters is a 2019 domestic violence complaint in which Garcia allegedly beat his wife. Supporters say that accusation was never fully investigated or proven in court. Critics of the deportation argue that even if Garcia had a criminal past, the denial of due process and the lack of evidence for gang affiliation make his removal fundamentally unjust.

Despite calls from human rights groups and several Democratic leaders to allow Garcia to return and have his case properly adjudicated, the current stance of the Trump-aligned political wing is firm: Garcia is not coming back. To them, the risk is too high, the symbolism too potent.

Faith, Politics, and the American Divide

Hope Walz’s comments—provocative, heartfelt, and controversial—brought to the surface a larger conversation about the role of faith in American politics. The idea that Jesus, a brown-skinned refugee from the Middle East who preached peace and welcomed outcasts, might not find sanctuary in modern-day America is not new. But rarely has it been said so boldly by someone in the public eye.

Many progressive Christians and clergy members voiced support for Hope’s analogy. They pointed out the similarities between the historical Jesus and modern-day immigrants: both marginalized, both misunderstood, and both targeted by powerful institutions. They argue that if Christian America truly followed the teachings of Christ, compassion would triumph over policy.

Conservative commentators, however, were swift to condemn the comparison. Some labeled it sacrilegious; others claimed it was a gross oversimplification of immigration law and national security concerns. They framed Hope Walz’s remarks as another example of the left exploiting religion for political gain.

Caught in the middle are millions of Americans who feel torn—between their values and their fears, their compassion and their concerns for security. Immigration continues to be one of the most polarizing issues in American life, and the Kilmar Abrego Garcia case illustrates just how fraught and emotional it has become.

As the video of Hope Walz circulates, more people are being pulled into the conversation. Some are expressing outrage, others empathy, and some are simply confused. The line between political discourse and moral reckoning has become increasingly blurred.

For Hope Walz, the backlash may be intense, but so too is the support from those who see her as speaking a deeper truth. Her words have opened a conversation that extends far beyond one man’s deportation or one president’s policy. It is a conversation about who America is—and who it wants to be.

Whether one agrees with her or not, Hope Walz has forced the nation to confront an uncomfortable question: If Jesus, a man of humble origins and radical compassion, were to walk among us today—without papers, without power—would he be welcomed? Or would he, too, be turned away at the border?