Social and Political Divisions in the United States over Immigration Policies

The media is following the widespread protests that have erupted in Los Angeles since the end of last week, following raids carried out by Federal immigration authorities against undocumented immigrants, which resulted in the arrest of dozens.

The protests were concentrated in predominantly Latino neighborhoods and, in some areas, turned into violent confrontations between demonstrators and security forces. This prompted Donald Trump to order the deployment of 2,000 National Guard troops to the city, with Marines placed on alert.

The mayor of Los Angeles and the governor of California considered this an "Unjustified" escalation, given that Los Angeles is home to one of the largest Latino and immigrant communities in America.

The arrests and escalation are part of the Trump administration's efforts to tighten immigration policies and target what are known as "sanctuary cities" that refuse to cooperate with federal authorities.

Trump has pledged to deport record numbers of people in the country illegally and lock down the U.S.-Mexico border. The White House has set a goal for immigration authorities to detain at least 3,000 migrants per day. This has made California and Los Angeles a constant flashpoint for tension between federal and local authorities over immigration issues. California is a Democratic stronghold, and Trump has repeatedly criticized its policies.

The state embraces liberal policies on immigration, environmental, and civil rights issues, while the US president promotes conservative and hardline policies, particularly on immigration.

It can be argued that the protests and popular anger witnessed in some cities reflect the extent of the societal and political division in the United States over immigration policies and also highlight the confrontation between the federal government, state authorities, and major cities.

As everyone awaits the repercussions of relations between Washington and the California authorities, and the future of immigration policies, the protests spread from Los Angeles to other cities in California, such as San Francisco, where police arrested 60 demonstrators during violent confrontations. Houston and San Antonio, Texas, also witnessed mass demonstrations demanding an end to forced deportations.

California Governor Gavin Newsom also criticized President Trump's decision to deploy the National Guard troops to Los Angeles and called for its revocation, while Department for Homeland Security spokesperson Trisha McLaughlin described the stance of both the governor and the mayor as "Disgusting," and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem Los Angeles protests are "professionally done," with demonstrators being "paid," adding that the mayor had protected criminals for years.

The media debate resulted in sharp partisan polarization, which was reflected in the speech of Democratic Senator Bernie Sanders, who stated that Trump seeks to transform America into an "authoritarian state that silences the opposition."

On the other hand, Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales of Texas praised the deployment of the National Guard, considering that what is happening in Los Angeles is "Just the tip of the iceberg," noting in this context what candidate Trump said in November 2024 and his criticism of the previous administration by saying that the current administration - Biden - is obstructing the construction of a border wall with Mexico.

The Guardian published a report titled "Trump Uses LA Protests to Redirect Dissent from Policy Failures". The report focuses on Trump's use of the Los Angeles protests as a tool to direct public anger away from "the enemy from within," his opponents on the radical left. This is the first time in six decades that a US president has activated the National Guard without a request from the state governor. Political circles view this as an authoritarian move and a dangerous escalation of the undermining of democratic norms, amid threats to use the military and the Insurrection Act against protesters.

Trump has been criticized for rewriting the history of political violence and inciting his base through right-wing media, with no dissenting voices within the new administration, which is different from Trump’s first term, as the current staff does not review his decisions and directions.

CNN reported in mid-November that Trump's plans to implement strict border measures were already underway and that the Trump team had laid the groundwork for plans to expand detention centers on the border and had developed plans to deport undocumented immigrants from all over America.

It is also worth noting an opinion poll conducted by Reuters in April 2025, which showed that Donald Trump’s popularity had declined to its lowest level since his return to the White House.

The results of the poll, which was conducted over 6 days, were as follows:

* Trump's job approval rating fell to 42%, compared to 43% three weeks ago and 47% after his inauguration.

* Despite the decline, Trump's popularity remains higher than during most of Joe Biden's presidency.

* 83% of respondents agreed that the president should comply with federal court rulings, even if he was against his wishes.

* 57%, including one-third of Republicans, disagreed with the statement that "it's okay for a U.S. president to withhold funding from universities if the president doesn't agree with how the university is run,”.

* 66% said the president should not run prestigious cultural institutions such as museums and theaters.

* On issues such as inflation, immigration, taxes, and the rule of law, those who disapproved of Trump's performance outnumbered those who supported him.

* On immigration, 45% approved of his performance, while 46% disapproved.

Notable, Donald Trump declared at the end of last April that he had achieved in the first 100 days of his presidency, which began last January, "What no previous administration in the history of the United States had achieved,” defending his policies since taking office last January, especially about imposing tariffs on all countries of the world, deporting immigrants, and heralded that this was the country’s golden age.