Fox News report features Holocaust references in immigration debate as Hinojosa draws parallel to Anne Frank

Fox News Digital published a piece describing a radio host's comparison of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to the Nazi regime, referencing the abduction of Anne Frank and saying modern figures described as 'Anita Francos' live in fear.

Mexican-American journalist Maria Hinojosa, founder of Futuro Media, was cited in the report for drawing a parallel between Latino children in the United States and Jewish children during the Holocaust, noting that some fear abduction and death like Anne Frank. In the piece, Hinojosa is quoted discussing the psychological toll of immigration enforcement on Black and Latino communities as she spoke with MSNBC's The Weekend.

During MSNBC’s The Weekend, co-host Eugene Daniels turned to Hinojosa, asking about the impact on people who look like them as federal agents descend on cities with immigration enforcement. She replied that she has seen trauma in Chicago’s Latino community and linked it to national political dynamics. "I posted, actually, right after that first day on the ground in Chicago, I posted about the fact that there are little Anne Franks, right?" she said. "Anne Frank, in Chicago, her name is Anita Franco, and she is terrified." Hinojosa added that children "are afraid to come out of their homes."

Daniels began the discussion by asking Hinojosa: "You’ve been in Chicago and you have been talking to people there, and I’m curious what you have gleaned from them and other folks you’ve been talking to about what it does to the psyche of a person to watch themselves be – and the people that look like them — be treated with such callousness by the federal government, the agents of the state, and people that have guns and other arms as they are running through their cities." Hinojosa responded that Black and Latino unity in Chicago could be strengthened by broad political dynamics, including the stance of Donald Trump and his Republican Party. "Black and Latino unity in the city of Chicago will only grow thanks to Donald Trump and his Republican Party," she said, adding that this was something that political forces fear when these communities come together.

"Chicago is a city of neighborhoods, and we do not like outsiders coming to tell us how to run our city," she continued, noting pervasive trauma in the Latino community and drawing a parallel to Anne Frank’s experience living in hiding before her death. The article notes ongoing debates about immigration policy under the Trump administration, including efforts to deport illegal entrants and the use of protective masks by ICE agents amid concerns about safety and harassment from critics who invoke Nazism to condemn the agency’s tactics.

Hinojosa also referenced social media posts, including one on X in which she described returning from Chicago and reflecting on a broader sense of siege. "I wake up in Chi after a day of witnessing a community under siege. And I think about people going to see the Anne Frank exhibit in New York City. And my brain explodes. She is right here in Chicago. Her name is Anita. And she is Mexican," she wrote in the post tied to her on-the-ground observations.

The report notes that ICE agents have sometimes worn masks to shield themselves from doxxing and harassment by critics who liken their actions to Nazi enforcement, a framing that has intensified political tensions around immigration policy as the 2024 and 2025 election cycles continue to shape debate. The piece also recounts coverage of protests and public demonstrations in Chicago, including marches past venues like the Chicago Theater, where activists have blasted immigration policies in the months surrounding the discussion.

Images accompanying the report show crowds at ICE demonstrations and historical references tied to the Holocaust-era imagery invoked in the debate. One image depicts protesters confronting ICE agents, illustrating the charged atmosphere in some U.S. cities as immigration enforcement actions continue to draw attention.

Another image portrays the familiar Holocaust context used to frame the discussion about child safety and state power, aligning with the reporter’s attempt to convey the emotional stakes for families in affected communities. The pieces continue to highlight the broader conversation around immigration policy, community trauma, and political rhetoric in contemporary U.S. politics.

Alexander Hall is an associate editor for Fox News Digital. The piece reflects ongoing coverage of immigration policy and its impact on communities across the United States.