President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown has drawn a backlash ahead of the midterms, including protests in Minneapolis, where two U.S. citizens were killed during confrontations with federal agents. Polling shows voters disapprove of his approach to immigration, although he retains some support for his handling of the border.
More than 2,000 federal officers were sent to Minneapolis, where tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets. After the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, the White House pushed aside Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
The Department of Homeland Security said immigration officers arrested almost 51,000 immigrants in the country illegally in August. The Migration Policy Institute estimated 660,000 people were deported in the past fiscal year, below the administration’s goal of 1 million annually.
Republicans have taken differing positions on enforcement. Tennessee Sen. Marsha Blackburn has promised more deportations in her campaign for governor, while Florida Rep. Maria-Elena Salazar criticized the crackdown in a campaign advertisement and sponsored legislation allowing immigrants in the country illegally to stay if they have otherwise followed the law.
In Texas, Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico has called for hiring more Border Patrol officers and expanding surveillance technology. He has criticized Trump’s immigration policies as wasteful and said the Biden administration failed to secure the southern border.