Jesus... this is a real tweet from a real government agency:

[Dennis Donovan]

Link to tweet

What's next? Pictures from ICE of reindeer in cages after being separated from Santa?

[bitterross]

1. Well, I guess it was a nice gesture to quell the fear for the kids

If I put on my Christmas day "nice" persona, I can turn this into a good gesture. It let all the immigrant kids know they need not fear Santa would be shot down over the US. So, he'd be able to deliver their presents.

That's the best I can do at trying to be nice for a day.

[Dennis Donovan]

2. It's a picture of Santa showing his "papers" at a checkpoint.

If I were a kid, that would make me feel lots better.

I dig where you're coming from on being nice. But, the pic hit me as tasteless, at best.

[bitterross]

8. Oh, yep. Totally in bad taste.

Probably some MAGAt who came up with the idea and laughed the whole time. A Stephen Miller clone.

[StarfishSaver]

14. There are plenty of things for me to get worked up over

But this isn't one of them.

[StarfishSaver]

7. They do things like this every year

It's actually kind of funny and sweet.

Link to tweet

[bitterross]

9. Thanks for this. I guess I just don't have much other than cynicism for the current Admin

The motives of the people behind the actions are always important. If it was truly an attempt to just be cute that's great.

Like I said, I can turn it into cuteness and letting the kids know Santa won't be stopped at the border so they'll get their presents.

The whole reinforcement of "Papers Please" imagery is still problematic.

[Caliman73]

18. It is well placed cynicism

I knew that other administrations had done similar things, but the difference is context. It almost always is. Even though President Obama's administration deported more people than Trump, there was the assumption, and almost always correct, that the people were immigrants who came over without documentation, who committed repeated criminal acts while here. the whole basis behind DACA was to clarify his administration's focus on going after people who were here without proper permission, who were doing bad things while here, not after children and their families who were here without the right papers but who were living otherwise lawful lives and contributing to the country. We also focused on taking in refugees and lead the world in doing so, until Trump. While there is still room for criticism of President Obama, and every other Presidents' immigration policies, it never seemed to be about being mean spirited and wanting to cause harm.

With Trump, it is. It seems that all it is about is being mean and causing harm.

So when Clinton, Bush, Obama, etc... did their NORAD or immigration thing about Santa Claus, it was about being a dorky, fun, bureaucratic way of saying Happy Holidays. Because of the inherent malice of the whole Trump administration the whole "Santa has his papers" takes on a much more sinister tone.

[Beartracks]

29. Best post on the subject right here. Spot on: context is everything. n/t

[Dennis Donovan]

10. In the context of today (not during the Obama Admin), it's tasteless.

In the context of the inhumane treatment of others coming to our borders under the Trump Admin, it's deeply offensive.

Context is everything.

[StarfishSaver]

11. I think you're overreacting

This isn't about political statements - this is done with a focus on kids who don't know all of the underlying political and sociological aspects of what this or any other administration's policies. But they do know about Santa and are very interested in how Santa gets to their house.

I've been involved in creating these light-hearted Santa travel orders and it's simply a well-intentioned and spirited attempt to help children enjoy the holiday. And it was a very pleasant escape for career and political employees to work together to come up with fun ways for the government to help Santa on his big night.

Everything doesn't have to have a heavy political message. Kids get a kick out of it and that's enough for me.

[Dennis Donovan]

12. I didn't say the cruelty was intentional - it's that it's completely tone deaf

...in the context of how the Trump admin has handled Immigration. Remember the chaos of the Muslim ban right after he took office? I do, and this "Santa showing his papers" crap reminds everyone all over again.

My reaction is justified.

[Caliman73]

19. I agree from the standpoint of the bureaucracy.

Context however, remains important. The mission of the agency changes with the directives of the administration. While CBP has the overall steadiness in mission over the long term, their focus and actions change in the short term under the pressure of the administration. Right wingers complained about President Obama being soft on immigration even though he deported more people than any other administration, yet President Obama prioritized the deportation of people who had committed other serious offenses. He did not make it a focus to go after families and children. He did not emphasize being cruel to immigrants and refugees in order to deter immigration.

Everything that CBP, ICE, Homeland Security, etc... does is tainted by the cruelty of their leader, the president, Trump. That is not to say that the people who took the picture did it intentionally to send a message about Santa getting held up at the border. The problem is that given all of the other things that Trump has done regarding bans, cruelty, and trying to militarize the border; this very likely innocent and good natured act takes on a more sinister tone than is would have under any other administration.

[Wounded Bear]

3. Can't generate a lot of poutrage about this one...

Sorry. NORAD has been doing their Santa Tracker for years and years.

This is a feel good story.

[CaptYossarian]

4. They need to start tracking Giuliani.

[ismnotwasm]

5. If it hadn't been retweeted by the CBP maybe

I think it’s just shitty

[Dennis Donovan]

6. It's Santa showing his papers at a checkpoint.

You're ok with that kind of imagery?

[Amishman]

21. Yes, no problem at all

People need to show papers at border checks.

The current inhumane practices towards detainees is tainting the image of our entire border control system.

Not only do we need to fix the way we handle people caught entering illegally but we also need a softer touch with border checks and fix their overall image.

Way to many people saying things like abolishing ICE and USCIS - which is wrong.we need reform in practice and image

[Dennis Donovan]

22. Christ... it's Santa. Papers...

Whatever...

[BuffaloJackalope]

13. Keep in mind, they would have turned away Baby Jesus

Or, taken him away from Mary & Joseph, deported them & put Jesus in a cage for other children to care for.

[GeorgeGist]

15. What about black Santa?

[Initech]

16. WTF.

[Dennis Donovan]

23. It's all the new normal, as everyone tells me here.

DU crushed me tonight. WTF have we (America, not just DU) become?

[Ilsa]

17. Well, the Ag Dept claimed they were doing deals with Wakanda last week.

U.S.D.A. Lists Wakanda as Trading Partner

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/19/us/wakanda-usda.html

Superhero fans have long wished Wakanda, the fictional land in Marvel’s “Black Panther,” were a real African nation. For a brief time, it was.

Up until Wednesday, Wakanda was included on a list of free trade partners on a website maintained by the United States Department of Agriculture.

An enterprising staff member at the Foreign Agricultural Service (and, one can only assume, a fan of Marvel Comics) used the name in a test of its tariff tracker, said Mike Illenberg, a U.S.D.A. spokesman. “The Wakanda information should have been removed after testing and has now been taken down,” he said. He declined to comment further.

For Francis Tseng, a fellow at the Jain Family Institute, it was akin to finding an Easter egg at the end of a superhero movie. He was doing research related to fertilizer, open markets and local food production when he came across the tariff tracker and its errant entry.

[Duppers]

20. Dennis, dear, find your funny bone.

[robbob]

24. There's a robot chicken for everything...

[Dennis Donovan]

35. The Santa Norad thing is cute

The Santa "papers please" thing is FUBAR.

I was born in '65. This will *never* be normal.

[Volaris]

25. Isn't it nice to know that this misadministration considers the border patrol,

More important on the totem pole than motherfucking SAC-NORAD!?!?!?

I know I sleep better at night smdh...

[Demonaut]

26. I didn't expect this...warn me next time so I can have my pearl necklace ready

[Doreen]

27. OMG!!!

You mean the reindeer are not in 6 month quarente? Oh, what did they do to his elves?

[TexasBushwhacker]

28. This is supposed to be funny?

It's probably Stephen Miller's idea.

[Kurt V.]

30. like santa needs permission. :)

[doc03]

31. In Ohio next year we have to supply our birth certificate, two bills with our address on them,

and/or a passport to renew our drivers license. I hear we will not be able to fly unless we have a star on our license. Is this a nationwide thing? I had an uncle that lived in Romania during the cold war. He said he had to show his papers anytime he even traveled to a different city or sometimes just randomly on the street. I fear that is coming if Trump gets re-elected.

[greatauntoftriplets]

32. Funny as a crutch.

This is horrific. It's putting these children into a category that is different from other children.

[StarryNite]

33. Good grief!

[Dennis Donovan]

34. Jesus... this is okay with some???

Holy eff. I guess it's just some "cute shit from the Trump govt".

We're fucked...