Republicans Worry Trump Immigration Backlash Could Hurt Midterms/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Republicans are growing concerned that Trump’s aggressive immigration enforcement, especially after two ICE-related deaths, is backfiring politically. While public dissent remains limited, pressure is mounting within the GOP to recalibrate strategy. With the 2026 midterms looming, the party risks losing an issue long seen as a political asset.
Immigration Concerns and 2026: Quick Looks
- Two ICE-related deaths in Minneapolis spark internal GOP unease
- Sen. Thom Tillis and others say the party is “losing” on immigration
- Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem faces bipartisan criticism
- Democrats demand changes to ICE tactics or threaten shutdown
- Republicans quietly push to separate DHS funding from budget bill
- Trump stands by Noem but signals potential shift in operations
- Strategists fear immigration missteps will energize Democrats
- Trump’s hardline stance remains popular with GOP base
- Senators Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski voice concern over enforcement
- 2026 midterms may test GOP control without Trump on the ballot
Deep Look: ICE Deaths, GOP Unease, and Midterm Jitters
WASHINGTON — For years, Republicans have leaned on immigration as a political strength — a wedge issue that energizes their base and reinforces their “law and order” brand. But in the lead-up to the 2026 midterms, that strength is beginning to look like a liability.
Two controversial deaths — Alex Pretti and Renee Good, both U.S. citizens — at the hands of federal agents during President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown in Minneapolis have shaken public confidence. Now, some GOP lawmakers worry that the White House’s aggressive enforcement tactics could cost them at the ballot box.
“This is about regaining the trust of the American people,” said Sen. Thom Tillis, a North Carolina Republican who is not seeking reelection. “And I really think we’re losing on an issue that we should be winning on.”
Breaking With Trump — Quietly
While few Republicans are willing to directly criticize Trump, there is a growing sense of discomfort. Strategists say the administration’s narrative has unraveled.
“We can’t get out from underneath what’s happening in Minneapolis,” said GOP strategist Jason Roe, who is working on multiple midterm campaigns.
Historically, the party holding the White House loses seats during midterm elections — a pattern exacerbated for Republicans when Trump isn’t on the ballot. In 2025, GOP candidates underperformed in several key races in New Jersey and Virginia, and polls show Democrats are more motivated heading into 2026.
“Democrats are really, really mad and they cannot wait to go vote,” said Roe. “And I just am not seeing that in any polling I’ve seen on the Republican side.”
Noem in the Crosshairs
For Republicans unwilling to attack Trump directly, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has become a scapegoat. Lawmakers have increasingly targeted her leadership amid the fallout from ICE operations in Minnesota.
“I think you have a secretary right now that needs to be accountable to the chaos and some of the tragedy that we have seen,” said Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, who urged Noem to resign.
Trump, however, remains publicly supportive. “She’s doing a very good job,” he said recently, signaling that she will remain in her role.
Yet even within the party, frustration is simmering. Sen. Tillis, who also called for Noem’s removal, warned that Trump’s message on immigration — which helped him win the White House — is being undermined by operational failures.
“Nobody’s talking about securing the border,” he said. “They’re talking about the incompetence of the leader of Homeland Security.”
Homeland Security Funding Showdown
With a Jan. 31 government funding deadline approaching, immigration has become a flashpoint on Capitol Hill. Democrats have vowed to block Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding unless major changes are made to ICE protocols.
A growing number of Republicans are now open to the idea of separating DHS funding from the broader federal budget package to avoid a shutdown. The idea would allow for more time to debate DHS funding while advancing the rest of the spending bills.
Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, who faces a tough reelection race, has called for a pause on ICE operations in both her state and Minnesota.
Other Republicans, such as first-term Sen. Ted Budd, have taken a more cautious approach. Budd expressed hope that recent leadership changes — such as the installation of Trump’s border czar Tom Homan to replace Gregory Bovino in Minneapolis — would lead to “orderly and systematic operations” focused on real threats.
Trump Shifts Tone Slightly
In an interview with ABC News this week, Trump struck a more tempered tone, saying he hoped Homan’s leadership would bring a “little bit more relaxed” and “de-escalated” approach in Minneapolis. But he immediately undercut that message by lashing out at Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, who called for a swift end to the ICE operations.
“PLAYING WITH FIRE,” Trump wrote on social media.
The contradiction mirrors the larger dilemma Republicans now face: maintain loyalty to a president whose hardline immigration stance still resonates with the base, or pivot toward moderation in the face of mounting public backlash — especially when lives have been lost.
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