Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., sparked controversy on Christmas Day after posting an image on social media that portrayed Jesus, Mary, and Joseph as illegal immigrants being confronted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, a depiction that drew sharp criticism from religious observers and conservative commentators.
Swalwell shared the image on X on Dec. 25, alongside a caption that read, “May this be the last Christmas we live this nightmare.” The image showed spray-painted figures labeled as ICE agents breaking into a Bethlehem stable, where Jesus was born, with the Holy Family depicted inside the nativity scene.
May this be the last Christmas we live this nightmare. pic.twitter.com/DRlBACltJQ
— Rep. Eric Swalwell (@RepSwalwell) December 25, 2025
The congressman’s post was widely interpreted as likening the biblical account of Jesus’ birth to modern immigration enforcement in the United States. Critics argued that the depiction misrepresented Scripture and inaccurately portrayed Mary and Joseph as illegal migrants.
According to the Gospel of Luke, Mary and Joseph traveled to Bethlehem in compliance with a Roman census ordered by Emperor Caesar Augustus, not as fugitives or unlawful travelers. The biblical account states:
“In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be enrolled. This was the first enrollment, when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be enrolled, each to his own city. [So] Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David” (Luke 2:1–4).
The passage explains that Joseph returned to his ancestral hometown of Bethlehem for the census, which is where Jesus was born. The Bible does not describe Mary and Joseph as illegal immigrants during this journey.
The claim that Jesus should be considered a refugee or illegal migrant has circulated in left-wing political and religious commentary in recent years, particularly in debates over modern immigration policy.
Many Christian scholars and theologians have disputed that characterization as historically inaccurate.
Breitbart News previously addressed the issue, with Thomas D. Williams, Ph.D., noting that Jesus was born in Bethlehem, Joseph’s ancestral home, and that the Holy Family later fled to Egypt only after King Herod ordered the killing of infant boys in the region.
According to that account, Mary and Joseph temporarily settled in Egypt, which at the time was part of the Roman Empire, before returning to Galilee following Herod’s death.
Jesus spent most of his childhood in Galilee, not as a displaced foreigner, but within the Roman-controlled territory where his family resided.
Swalwell’s Christmas post was not the only recent instance in which the nativity story was reinterpreted through the lens of modern immigration politics.
A progressive church in Illinois faced criticism last month after unveiling a nativity display that depicted baby Jesus zip-tied, Roman soldiers portrayed as ICE agents, and Mary and Joseph wearing gas masks.
Church Nativity Scene Features Zip-Tied Baby Jesus, Roman Soliders as ICE Agents https://t.co/B4moHXCKLE pic.twitter.com/uREDeF23N6
— Protestia (@Protestia) December 1, 2025
Lake Street Church of Evanston defended the display in a Facebook post, stating that it “reimagines the nativity as a scene of forced family separation, drawing direct parallels between the Holy Family’s refugee experience and contemporary immigration detention practices.”
The church’s display and Swalwell’s post both generated backlash from Christians who argued that such portrayals politicize religious imagery and misrepresent biblical history.
Critics said the depictions replace the scriptural account with modern political narratives that do not align with the historical or theological context of the nativity.
Swalwell did not elaborate further on his Christmas post or respond publicly to the criticism following its publication.
The congressman has been a vocal supporter of progressive immigration policies and has frequently criticized federal immigration enforcement efforts, including ICE operations.
The controversy surrounding Swalwell’s post comes amid ongoing national debates over border security, immigration enforcement, and the role of faith in public life.
While supporters of such imagery argue it draws attention to humanitarian concerns, opponents contend that religious figures and sacred events are being repurposed to advance political messaging.
