DFL Rep. Angie Craig is facing criticism for her actions at a 2017 town hall meeting where she applauded a story told by then-Congressman Tim Walz in which immigration enforcement was compared to terrorism.
In May of 2017, Craig was campaigning for Congress and Walz was campaigning for governor. That month, the pair hosted a town hall event and took many questions from attendees. When Walz began speaking about immigration, he told a story about an experience he had as a congressman-elect.
“This is still one of the most moving things for me. The week after I was elected in 2006, that giant ICE raid happened in Worthington,” Walz said at the town hall event.
“I drove out to Worthington as the congressman-elect, went into the basement of the Catholic Church where Father Brixius was, who asked me to look around at all the children crying, and he said, ‘This is what terrorism looks like in America today,’ and he was very concerned.”
Craig, who was standing beside Walz, joined the rest of the room in applauding.
🚨WATCH🚨
Disgraced Rep. @AngieCraigMN nods and applauds as Tim Walz amplified comment comparing ICE raids to 'terrorism' in America. pic.twitter.com/ZBNVwney5q
— NRCC (@NRCC) August 12, 2024
Walz went on to explain that he would vote as a congressman to protect illegal immigrants.
“What I told them at that time is that I hold the voting card in my pocket, and the votes I will take will be to make sure we protect these folks,” Walz said.
In his remarks, then-Congressman Walz was referring to ICE raids that took place in 2006 as a part of Operation Wagon Train which discovered illegal immigrants who had stolen or purchased Social Security numbers to get jobs, according to Fox News.
Walz also suggested that legal immigration was not a possibility, saying, “Every sovereign nation has the right to control its border in a legal manner, we should do that. But what we need to be very clear with our neighbors about is that, there is no line for people to go get into, there is no opportunity to come in legally.”
He also told the crowd that he supported sanctuary cities.
“And so, when people try and tell you sanctuary cities are ways for people to violate laws, our police are serving us and protecting our communities—our citizens need to know that if they go to the police to report a crime either against themselves or someone else, that they’re going to be protected, to be able to do that, and our police don’t ask immigration status because it’s not their job to do that,” Walz said during the town hall. Craig again applauded.
Craig also spoke about immigration, saying, “I cannot give up on comprehensive immigration reform yet.”
“Just four years ago, there was a bill that the Senate was proposing, and then the world went to hell. So we will take the world back, and we will be able to stand up for our neighbors and invite them into this country,” she said.
“And I will tell you, I stood on the stage at Inver Hills Community College last night, and I watched the best of America. I watched America walk across that stage and that particular college is about a 35% immigrant community, 35% people of color. It’s just the most amazing thing in the world, so I had to give it up.”
The National Republican Congressional Committee criticized Craig for applauding Walz’s comments.
“It’s clear Angie Craig supports dangerous policies that are making Minnesota communities less safe while repeatedly voting for open borders and allowing illegal immigrants to vote,” said NRCC spokesman Mike Marinella. “Craig is dangerous for Minnesota.”
Hayley Feland
Hayley Feland previously worked as a journalist with The Minnesota Sun, The Wisconsin Daily Star, and The College Fix. She is a Minnesota native with a passion for politics and journalism.
