Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was in the hot seat on Christmas after her department released a statement that numerous observers flagged as a violation of the Constitution.
Homeland Security alarmed some critics when, on Christmas Eve, the department took to social media and wrote, "Merry Christmas, America. We are blessed to share a nation and a Savior."
The social media post also included a video with a version of Silent Night playing, and at times random Christmas-themed pop culture clips. The video from DHS ends with a recording from the broadcast from the Apollo 8 astronauts in 1968, who wished the world, "Merry Christmas, and God bless all of you, all of you on the good Earth."
That caused onlookers to call out the Establishment Clause, and the nation's separation of Church and State.
The Alex Nowrasteh of the libertarian Cato Institute said, "Americans don’t share a religion. Our state is secular."
Conservative Bill Kristol chimed in, "Un-American. And, if I may say, un-Christian."
Journalist James M. Russell also weighed in, "This is like the public access version of the opening of the Americans."
Baptist minister Brian Kaylor said, "Yesterday I wrote about DHS's war on Christmas as they co-opt this holy season to justify anti-immigrant polices. Well, Department of Herod Security has new video doing this, suggesting Christmas is about Jesus *and* Trump's America."
"That's *not* what Christmas is about," he further added. "The Savior born to all the world didn't come to celebrate the 'miracle' of a human empire."
Editor Jonathan 'Boo and Vote' Cohn added, "Christian nationalism in a tweet."
Typos of the New York Times, a self-identified appellate lawyer, wrote, "When the government blatantly violates the Establishment Clause by social media post, what is the remedy a court orders, deletion?"
Former diplomat Laura Kennedy said, "I am a Christian. I am also a proud American because our laws were designed to prohibit a national religion."
"Actually this DHS official video (where even kids have guns) isn’t quite definitive that the savior we 'share' is Jesus rather than Trump," she added.
Local Dem official Dave MCcarver said, "The soulless goons who run the DHS have no reason to celebrate the birth of Jesus as they rip families apart and terrorize refugees."