Department of Justice Doubles Down on Use of Franklin the Turtle by Sharing Image of Him as ‘Deportation Judge’

Franklin the Turtle has once again been pulled into U.S. political messaging — this time by the Department of Justice under the Trump administration.

On Thursday, Dec. 11, the official X account for the Department of Justice shared a mocked-up cover of a Franklin the Turtle children’s book, altered so that Franklin appears in a judge’s robe.

The fake title on the illustration read: “Franklin Becomes a Deportation Judge.”

“Franklin is helping write the next chapter of America. You can too!” the post said. “We’re looking for patriotic legal professionals to serve as Deportation Judges. Your work will have generational consequences.”

The post ended with a call to action encouraging people to “Apply today!”

This recruitment push comes as the Trump administration continues to emphasize arrests and deportations of undocumented immigrants. While Trump has repeatedly argued that federal immigration officers are targeting dangerous criminals, a study released earlier this month found that nearly 75,000 people arrested by ICE had no criminal record.

The DOJ’s Franklin illustration echoed a graphic shared last month on X by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, which portrayed Franklin firing a bazooka at a boat amid criticism of U.S. strikes on vessels in the Caribbean. That earlier image was also styled like a Franklin book cover and carried the fake title Franklin Targets Narco Terrorists, with Hegseth writing, “For your Christmas wish list” alongside it.

Franklin the Turtle is a long-running Canadian children’s book series created by author Paulette Bourgeois and illustrator Brenda Clark. Following Hegseth’s Nov. 30 post, the series’ publisher, Kids Can Press, issued a public statement distancing itself from such depictions.

“Franklin the Turtle is a beloved Canadian icon who has inspired generations of children and stands for kindness, empathy, and inclusivity,” the publisher said. “We strongly condemn any denigrating, violent, or unauthorized use of Franklin’s name or image, which directly contradicts these values.”

The broader immigration debate has only intensified since Trump took office in January. On Dec. 11, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem appeared before Congress and faced pointed questions about deportations carried out by her department, including those involving military veterans.

During an exchange with Rep. Seth Magaziner, a Democrat from Rhode Island, Noem stated that “we have not deported U.S. citizens or military veterans.” She was then confronted with a video appearance by Sae Joon Park, a U.S. Army combat veteran and Purple Heart recipient, who was deported to Korea — a country where Magaziner said Park had not lived since he was 7 years old.