BOSTON — Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley used Thanksgiving to deliver one of her bleakest holiday messages yet, warning that dinner tables across America were filled with “empty seats” because loved ones had been “abducted and deported” — a dramatic claim that instantly raised eyebrows from critics who say she’s turning a family holiday into political theater.

Pressley, a top member of the progressive Squad, posted the somber reflection on X, listing reasons she believes families were missing relatives this year: gun violence, incarceration, deportation, and what she called “abductions.” Her remark blurred the line between immigration enforcement and kidnapping, a framing that instantly sparked backlash online.

The Boston Democrat didn’t mention specific cases or data — just the sweeping assertion that federal immigration actions have effectively “abducted” people from their communities. Her post quickly became one of the most talked-about political Thanksgiving messages of the season.

This Thanksgiving, I'm thinking of our neighbors with an empty seat at the dinner table.

Those with loved ones abducted & deported from their families.

Those we lost due to gun violence, mass incarceration, & more.

A more just America is possible, if we fight for it.

— Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (@RepPressley) November 27, 2025

She wasn’t alone in dragging politics to the Thanksgiving table. In Boston, the City Council has now twice voted to brand Thanksgiving a “National Day of Mourning,” issuing resolutions that frame the holiday as a symbol of colonization and injustice rather than gratitude. The move shows how local officials are increasingly turning a family holiday into a stage for ideological messaging — swapping turkey and thanks for activism and grievance.

To Pressley’s supporters, her message was a heartfelt reminder that many families — especially immigrant and minority households — face painful absences at the holidays. But to critics, it was another example of the congresswoman’s habit of pushing maximalist language even when discussing lawful deportations or criminal-justice cases.

Thanksgiving in recent years has increasingly become a stage for political statements, but few elected officials go as far as Pressley did by suggesting immigration enforcement amounts to abduction. While the rest of the country passed the stuffing and debated football, Pressley used the moment to highlight what she calls systemic trauma — a theme she has repeated throughout her time in office.

The post racked up thousands of comments — supporters praising the emotion, critics accusing her of manufacturing drama — but it succeeded in what Pressley does best: creating a viral flashpoint that keeps her at the center of the national conversation, even on a holiday built for unity and family.