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By Martha McHardy
US News Reporter
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President Donald Trump has notched a significant victory over Democrats, with polling showing him outperforming his rivals on one of the most contentious issues: immigration.
On the broader question of trust, Republicans now lead Democrats on immigration by 6 points in CBS and CNN polling and 19 in the latest Ipsos survey.
Why It Matters
It comes after Trump sent 4,000 National Guardsmen and 700 Marines to Los Angeles in response to reported violence against law enforcement, specifically ICE agents carrying out deportation raids in the city.
Read More on Politics
The action in Los Angeles is part of the Trump administration's pledge to carry out the largest mass deportation in U.S. history, which has seen ICE raids conducted around the country, some of which have swept up people with proper documentation.
As a result, protests have taken place in Los Angeles as well as in New York, Atlanta, Dallas and Washington, D.C. But polls show that Trump's strategy appears to resonating with voters.
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What To Know
Since protests erupted in Los Angeles, Democrats have ramped up their criticism of Trump's decision to deploy the National Guard without state approval.
As federal troops fanned out across the city, California Governor Gavin Newsom warned: "Democracy is under assault right before our eyes—the moment we've feared has arrived. Trump is pulling a military dragnet all across Los Angeles. Well beyond his stated intent to go after violent and serious criminals, his agents are arresting dishwashers, gardeners, day laborers and seamstresses."
The governor cautioned other states to brace themselves: "California may be first, but it clearly won't end here. Other states are next. Democracy is next."
California is suing the Trump administration, accusing the president of abusing emergency powers to override state authority. The lawsuit argues that Trump's use of Title 10 to federalize California's National Guard violates state sovereignty and stretches the boundaries of the Insurrection Act—an 18th-century law typically reserved for extreme domestic crises.
In Washington, House Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar condemned Trump's actions.
"This isn't about law and order or protecting public safety. Donald Trump wants conflict and violence. House Democrats stand on the side of peaceful protests and condemn the violence that Donald Trump is rooting for," he told reporters at the Capitol.
Still, polls suggest that Trump's hardline immigration stance is resonating with much of the public. In a sharp turnaround from his first term, Trump now holds a net positive approval rating on immigration, rising from -21 in June 2017 to +1 today, according to CNN's Harry Enten—his biggest gain on any issue.
A YouGov/CBS News poll conducted June 4-6 found 54 percent of Americans support Trump's deportation program targeting undocumented immigrants, surpassing his ratings on the economy (42 percent) and inflation (39 percent). Additionally, 51 percent approve of ICE conducting searches.
An RMG Research poll echoed that result, with 58 percent backing the deportation efforts. And in an Insider Advantage survey, 59 percent approved of Trump's decision to send National Guard troops to Los Angeles in response to the protests.
But the support has limits. While a majority agree with the goals of Trump's deportation policy, 56 percent disapprove of how it's being implemented, according to the CBS/YouGov poll. A separate YouGov survey found only 39 percent approve of the administration's overall approach to deportations, while 50 percent disapprove.
The issue remains deeply polarizing as 93 percent of Republicans support the deportation plan, compared to just 18 percent of Democrats. Independents are divided. Nearly half of Americans believe Trump is going further than he promised during his campaign.
His military deployment is even more controversial. A June 9-10 YouGov poll found only 34 percent of Americans support sending Marines to Los Angeles, while 47 percent disapprove. A majority—56 percent—say state and local governments, not the federal government, should handle the situation.
Still, Democrats worry that Trump's strategy is working.
"This is about provocation," said Representative Jimmy Panetta, a California Democrat. "It was Donald Trump who sent in the military to a peaceful protest. Donald Trump sent in the military to basically stir things up and give him the image and give him the fight and give him the pictures that he wants."
Democratic strategist Max Burns echoed that concern, writing on X, formerly Twitter: "Trump's deployments in L.A. ensure that no matter where news viewers look over the next few weeks, they will see Trump's name alongside made-for-TV displays of American military might."
Former Representative Steve Israel urged Democrats to stay focused.
"Trump has two playbooks," he said. "One is to use immigration to frighten, enrage and motivate voters. The other is ripped out of the history books on authoritarian leaders: Provoke, exaggerate and escalate disorder in order to limit freedoms, in Trump's case to distract voters from his poor economic performance."
Israel added that Democrats "can respond with a playbook of their own."
"Don't let him define them as weak on immigration," he said. "Use his actions in L.A. as proof of his extremist impulses and keep talking about how the economy continues to hurt real Americans."
What People Are Saying
CNN data analyst Harry Enten: "There is no issue on which Trump is doing so much better than he was in his first term more than the issue of immigration. Trump is begging for a fight on this because he knows what he's doing so far is working with the American electorate."
Republican political strategist and commentator Melik Abdul, on X: "Trump is winning. The country is winning. Democrats are still losing."
Pollster G. Elliott Morris, on Substack: "The default assumption that the LA protests help Trump seems thinly evidenced at this point. They may very well end up hurting him."
What Happens Next
Trump's approval ratings on immigration may change if protests continue.
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