“Donald Trump and Stephen Miller are on the wrong side of public opinion on this, and they’re losing badly in the court of public opinion,” says Chris Hayes. “The more they lean into the cruelty, the less popular it all is.”
President Donald Trump’s aggressive immigration crackdown, marked by heavily armed ICE and Border Patrol raids across American cities, has ignited widespread public backlash and drawn comparisons to a police state. In Los Angeles, scenes of masked agents storming flea markets, Home Depot parking lots, Walmarts, and even Dodger Stadium have fueled protests, with citizens decrying the tactics as “vile and indefensible.” Despite no reported unrest in L.A. for over a week, thousands of Marines and National Guard troops continue to patrol the streets, a move Trump justified after an appellate court ruling on June 21, 2025, allowed him to deploy California’s National Guard over Governor Gavin Newsom’s objections.
Vice President JD Vance, visiting L.A. on June 21, doubled down on the administration’s narrative, falsely claiming that Newsom and Mayor Karen Bass have “actively encouraged illegal migration,” turning the city into a “leftist, rogue state.” Vance, who last year spread debunked claims about migrants eating pets in Ohio, described L.A. as a “great American city” ruined by immigration and riots, referencing the burning of Waymo autonomous vehicles two weeks prior. His remarks, delivered at an FBI building with no questions taken from local reporters, included a gaffe where he misnamed Senator Alex Padilla as “Jose Padilla.” Bass is expected to respond in a press conference later today.
Critics, including MSNBC’s Chris Hayes, argue the crackdown, led by Trump and advisor Stephen Miller, is a failing “confidence game” to mask weak policy. Videos show American citizens, including Walmart employees and elected officials like New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, being roughed up or detained for confronting masked agents. In one L.A. incident, security footage contradicted ICE’s claim that a worker punched agents, showing no such aggression. Similar scenes unfolded at a Hollywood Home Depot, where citizens demanded agents identify themselves, asserting their right to record.
Public sentiment is shifting against Trump’s tactics. A Quinnipiac poll this month showed him underwater by 11 points on immigration, with 54% disapproving, and by 16 points on deportation policy specifically. Post-L.A. deployment polls from NBC News and Reuters confirm the trend, with voters rejecting the militarized approach as un-American. Even pro-Trump voices like podcaster Joe Rogan, who supported Trump’s campaign, criticized the raids, noting voters did not sign up for mass arrests at Home Depots or construction sites. “They said they’d target criminals and gang members, not this,” Rogan said on his show.
Resistance is growing across the spectrum. In Chicago, two National Guard members, both U.S. citizens, physically shielded their mother from ICE during an immigration appointment, fearing her detention. In Southern California, Bishop Michael Pham, a former Vietnamese refugee, rallied priests to attend immigration hearings on World Refugee Day, June 21, leading to postponed cases in San Diego. Even pop culture figures like wrestler Brody King wore an “Abolish ICE” tank top at a Mexico City match, reflecting mainstream discontent.
Trump’s team, undeterred, has escalated with propaganda videos showing agents in military gear raiding suburban markets, a tactic Miller reportedly relishes. Yet, the administration’s hardline stance is backfiring. In L.A., nonviolent confrontations by citizens, including Walmart workers and elected officials, highlight the human toll. The administration’s claim that these measures target dangerous criminals is undermined by scenes of ordinary people being wrestled to the ground or asked for papers.
As Trump gloats over legal victories enabling his deployments, the political cost mounts. His immigration stance, once a campaign strength, is now a liability, alienating even parts of his base. With protests spreading and public opinion souring, the administration’s reliance on force over dialogue risks further eroding its credibility, leaving Americans to grapple with the consequences of a policy many see as both cruel and ineffective.