The media appearances, which included vows to crack down on sanctuary cities, marked a sharp return to the administration’s most aggressive posture after months of more measured language on the issue.
The public relations campaign reflects a delicate political calculation. People close to the administration and immigration hawks described the blitz as an attempt to soothe Trump’s aggrieved MAGA base, which has complained in recent months that the White House is not moving fast enough to remove millions of unauthorized immigrants, a core campaign pledge. The issue has become a political tightrope, with the administration caught between Republicans who worry the agenda has gone too far, particularly after federal immigration agents killed two Americans in Minneapolis this year, and hardliners who warn that any retreat could alienate voters ahead of the midterms.
In their appearances, Homan and Mullin insisted that the goal of large-scale deportations has not changed. They argued that Immigration and Customs Enforcement is not “slowing down” and emphasized a focus on removing the “worst of the worst” criminal unauthorized immigrants. But that language has frustrated hardliners, who say the administration must target a broader pool of immigrants, not just those with criminal records.
“It’s political rhetoric designed to meet both camps,” said a person close to the administration, who was granted anonymity to describe the effort. “Which is no surprise, it’s a political administration trying to win midterms.”
White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson pushed back against the criticism, saying “nobody is changing” the president’s immigration enforcement agenda. She said the administration’s top priority has been to deport “illegal alien criminals” and touted the removal of immigrants who have committed crimes as well as self-deportations. A senior White House official, granted anonymity to speak candidly, said critics who claim the deportation campaign is stalling are “misguided.”
“There’s a lot of sort of outside voices who say we’ve stopped all deportations, we’ve stopped all border security,” the official said. “That’s just not true. It may not necessarily be in the news right now but that doesn’t mean it’s not happening.”
