Immigration Raids Spark Unrest As Trump Administration Steps Up Deportation Effort
Protests in response to recent immigration enforcement actions have expanded beyond Los Angeles and are now taking place in cities across the country, including in New York, Illinois, and Texas, where Gov. Greg Abbott (R) announced the deployment of the Texas National Guard across the state to “ensure peace and order.”
It comes as some workers across key sectors — including agriculture, construction, child care, and food service — are not showing up to work, citing fears of detention and deportation. An estimated 14 million unauthorized immigrants live in the U.S.
TRUMP’S PLAN
On the campaign trail, Trump promised mass deportations. Border crossings plummeted in the first few months of his term, but deportations remained steady. Now, the administration is taking a more aggressive posture. White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller — the architect of many of Trump’s immigration policies — has set a goal of 3,000 deportations per day, nearly five times the average of 660 arrests per day during Trump’s first 100 days in office.
What people think: A CBS News/YouGov poll conducted June 4–6 found that 54% of Americans approve of Trump's deportation policy. The poll was completed just days before the president deployed troops to Los Angeles.
Trump's strongest support on immigration comes from within his party, with 93% of Republicans backing his deportation policy, compared with only 18% of Democrats. Independents are more split, with 49% in favor.
But some Republicans are expressing frustration with the crackdowns, which have arrested both criminals and undocumented immigrants who have been in the U.S. for decades. Latinas for Trump co-founder, Florida state Sen. Ileana Garcia, criticized the administration’s deportation efforts as “unacceptable and inhumane.”
DEMS TAKING THE MIC
Democrats are recalibrating their messaging and as the Wall Street Journal puts it, California Governor Gavin Newsom has, “leaned into the conflict to position himself as the leader of the opposition.”
Newsom is striking a tough-on-crime tone — calling for “zero tolerance” for “agitators” who attack law enforcement, but he is still blaming Trump for escalating the situation, saying: “Democracy is under assault before our eyes. This moment we have feared has arrived… There are no longer any checks and balances.”
Have more questions on the state of immigration in America? We dove into the topic with Syracuse University’s Dr. Austin Kocher on our Mo News Premium members workshop.
He helped us break down and explain the legal impacts of Trump’s immigration agenda and broader immigration trends.
Become a member of Mo News Premium today to hear the conversation!
