A Border Patrol commander delivered a scathing rebuke to Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) after the congressman posted a tasteless Christmas message depicting Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents raiding the nativity scene of Jesus Christ.
The inflammatory social media post, which attempted to draw a parallel between illegal immigration and the birth of Christ, sparked immediate outrage from law enforcement officials, religious leaders, and conservatives who accused Swalwell of weaponizing scripture to push an open-borders agenda.
Border Patrol Leadership Fires Back
A Border Patrol sector commander responded forcefully to Swalwell's post, calling out the congressman's biblical illiteracy and blatant disrespect for the men and women who protect America's borders.
"This is not only offensive to law enforcement officers who sacrifice time with their families during the holidays to keep Americans safe, but it's also completely inaccurate from a scriptural standpoint," the commander stated.
Critics were quick to point out the glaring holes in Swalwell's attempted narrative. According to scripture, Mary and Joseph traveled to Bethlehem for a census ordered by Caesar Augustus – they were traveling within their own land to Joseph's ancestral home, not crossing into a foreign nation illegally.
Biblical Scholars Set the Record Straight
Religious commentators noted that the Holy Family's later flight to Egypt, while technically crossing borders, was a temporary refuge from King Herod's persecution – and they eventually returned to their homeland of Israel.
"Swalwell either hasn't read the Bible or is deliberately twisting it for political purposes," one conservative commentator wrote. "Either way, it's disgraceful to use the birth of our Savior to attack law enforcement."
Pattern of Anti-ICE Rhetoric
The incident follows a pattern of Democratic lawmakers demonizing immigration enforcement officers. Under President Trump's renewed commitment to border security, ICE agents have been working tirelessly to remove criminal illegal aliens and restore order to a system left in chaos by the former Biden administration.
Swalwell, who has previously faced scrutiny for his connections to a suspected Chinese spy, has been a persistent critic of the Trump administration's immigration enforcement efforts.
The congressman has not apologized for the post despite the widespread criticism, doubling down on the comparison that many Americans found deeply offensive during the Christmas season.
As one Border Patrol agent commented: "We protect American families every single day. We don't need lectures from politicians who've never spent a day on the border."