As the Trump administration continues to knock it out of the park when it comes to deporting illegal immigrants, many Americans see the roundups happen and are starting to get cold feet.
It's not helping that the leftist press and elected Democrats are always framing it as evil and cruel, involving a lot of family separation and cases where actual American citizens are being deported simply because they're brown. That last one isn't an exaggeration. Remember Eric Swalwell posting that really cringy video on X suggesting that very thing is happening?
Trump’s America
— Rep. Eric Swalwell (@RepSwalwell) June 18, 2025
pic.twitter.com/Pk4HKUR6Wq
Sadly, the narratives are working and though there was strong support for removing illegal immigrants when Trump was elected, the zeal is losing some heat.
According to a recent Gallup poll, people are really high on the idea of citizenship for immigrants, and not as keen on the forced deportations and round-ups:
After climbing to 55% in 2024, the percentage of Americans who say immigration should be reduced has dropped by nearly half to 30%. Sentiment is thus back to the level measured in 2021, before the desire for less immigration started to mount. Meanwhile, 38% now want immigration kept at its current level, and 26% say it should be increased.
[...]
In terms of impeding illegal immigration at the source, support for increasing the number of Border Patrol agents has declined 17 points to 59%, from 76% a year ago. And backing for expanding the U.S.-Mexico border wall has dropped eight points to 45%. This likely reflects people perceiving these measures as less necessary given the sharp drop in illegal border crossings.
Yet, support is also lower today for deporting all undocumented immigrants, with 38% now favoring this as the administration is attempting it, down from 47% last year when it was a Trump campaign promise. However, it should be noted that last year’s support for deportation was uniquely high. Today’s level matches where it stood in 2019 (at 37%) and is slightly higher than when first measured in 2016 (32%).
In short, the American people wanted the baby, not the labor pains, and Democrats are making it look more painful than it actually is.
Thing is, Gallup also shows that people still want strong borders, reinforcing the fact that they want our country to be illegal alien free, but they likely want more of a path to citizenship for those who are here already.
The Trump administration has been all shock and awe, but now that shock and awe is sufficiently achieved, self-deportations are on the rise, and the appetite for stabilization is now upon us, Trump sadly has to play the political PR game differently now, but this isn't a bad thing. In fact, this could be an opportunity to torpedo the Democrat narratives that the Trump administration is cruel and uncaring.
Trump throwing his weight behind bills that could create a much easier path to citizenship, and making that the main stage play as the deportations continue would, I think, turn public opinion toward the Republicans once more.
Moreover, Trump should hammer home the fact that this should be a bipartisan effort and should actively seek Democrats who will cooperate.
"The Dignity Act" is being reintroduced as I write this by Republican Maria Elvira Salazar of Florida and Democrat Veronica Escobar of Texas, and while it does seem like amnesty with a hefty price tag, it could be a starting point for Trump to begin this idea with. To be clear, I'm not entirely sure the bill would pass the muster of many conservatives in its current form, but there's room for it to improve in ways that would please Republican voters and possibly quite a few Independents.
According to Salazar, "The Dignity Act" isn't amnesty, but is instead something that maintains America's workforce by allowing illegal immigrants with non-criminal records to stay legally if they pay a large fine over the course of seven years, which will fund a workforce without taxpayer dollars.
DIGNITY ACT OF 2025: Rep. @MaElviraSalazar to unveil new bipartisan bill for comprehensive immigration reform in the U.S. pic.twitter.com/zEUON4YFl7
— FOX & Friends (@foxandfriends) July 15, 2025
Trump can, of course, work out particulars for the bill, but this is a start, I think. At the very least, it could get him into the "I'm trying to get the thing you want done" column.
Thing is, if Democrats are still going to be the party of "not Trump" and present full-on opposition, Republicans can hammer this home as the Democrats standing in the way of people who they say deserve to be here having the legal standing to do so. This lets the Trump administration go on the offensive against the Democrats who are, once again, proving to be massive hypocrites whose only concern is being the party of resistance, not the party of getting things done.
Again, the deportations can still happen in the background, but mix this with an actual path to citizenship for workers who mean no harm but are illegal could very well sway public opinion and put the Trump administration into a warmer light.
It's sad that we have to play chess like this, especially when it comes to the safety and health of our nation, but it's a fight we have to fight regardless.
