Trump's Immigration Crackdown Fuels a Backlash Ahead of the Midterms

Immigration was a central reason Donald Trump returned to the White House, but the enforcement campaign he launched since taking office has produced a political backlash that threatens Republican hopes of holding Congress in the midterms. Polling shows voters disapprove of his approach to the issue, even though he retains some support for his handling of the border.

The contrast with 2024 is stark. During that campaign, television screens showed tent camps on both sides of the border, caravans moving through Central America and fears that newcomers were straining social services. That turmoil faded after President Joe Biden tightened enforcement and Trump then clamped down further. The disorder now appears on American streets, where violent and sometimes deadly clashes have marked a deportation drive aimed at removing anyone in the country illegally.

Trump's allies argue he is a victim of his own success. Mark Krikorian, executive director of the Center for Immigration Studies, said the earlier chaos at the border was hard to ignore, and that Trump's sharp drop in illegal crossings is "often politically bad." He praised the administration's low-profile but effective sweeps. The Department of Homeland Security says ICE arrested almost 51,000 people in the country illegally in August, up from 49,000 in July and 43,000 in June. The Migration Policy Institute estimates 660,000 deportations in the past fiscal year, short of the administration's goal of 1 million a year.

Minneapolis became the turning point. More than 2,000 federal officers were sent to the city, masked agents emerged from convoys of unmarked vehicles, and tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets. Two U.S. citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, both 37, were killed in confrontations with agents. In the following weeks, the White House pushed aside Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. Pretti's father, Michael, said this week that bystander videos still trouble the family. His son carried a legally permitted holstered gun, and the footage does not show him brandishing it or attacking agents before he was shot.

Democrats have grown bolder. Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen, who flew to El Salvador to meet Kilmar Abrego Garcia after the administration sent him there despite a court order, said some in his party once questioned confronting Trump on an issue where he was popular. "We've gone from some of that sniping on the sidelines to a clear vote among Democrats to defund ICE," he said.

Republicans, meanwhile, have lost a unified message. Sen. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee is promising more deportations in her run for governor. Florida Rep. Maria-Elena Salazar criticized the crackdown in an ad filmed outside the White House and has sponsored legislation that would let some immigrants in the country illegally stay if they have otherwise followed the law. Colorado Rep. Gabe Evans, a co-sponsor, is trying to set himself apart from Trump in a swing district. In New Hampshire, former Sen. John Sununu has criticized ICE tactics and the use of masks by agents.

Many Republicans still lean on Biden-era border problems and tie immigration to concerns about prices. Trump told a recent Florida rally that Democrats let migrants "pour across our borders," warning, "If they win in the midterms, they'll do it again." Ohio Sen. Jon Husted accuses Democrat Sherrod Brown of voting to give tax dollars to "illegals."

Democratic candidates are adjusting too. Texas Senate hopeful James Talarico calls himself a "border security Democrat" and says Biden failed on the southern border. Michigan's Abdul El-Sayed also stresses strong borders. Frank Sharry, an immigrants' rights activist who consults with the centrist group Third Way, said he knows of no swing-race candidate saying anything other than that the border must be secured and criminals removed.