{"id":220339,"date":"2026-08-12T16:10:15","date_gmt":"2026-08-12T16:10:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/trumps-ice-crackdown-returns-to-the-spotlight-as-the-midterms-loom-from-the-politics-desk-nbc-news\/"},"modified":"2026-08-12T16:10:15","modified_gmt":"2026-08-12T16:10:15","slug":"trumps-ice-crackdown-returns-to-the-spotlight-as-the-midterms-loom-from-the-politics-desk-nbc-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/trumps-ice-crackdown-returns-to-the-spotlight-as-the-midterms-loom-from-the-politics-desk-nbc-news\/","title":{"rendered":"Trump\u2019s ICE crackdown returns to the spotlight as the midterms loom: From the Politics Desk – NBC News"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Welcome to <\/em>From the Politics Desk<\/em><\/a>, a daily newsletter that brings you the NBC News Politics team\u2019s latest reporting and analysis from the White House, Capitol Hill and the campaign trail.<\/em>
In today\u2019s edition, Natasha Korecki digs into the perilous immigration politics facing the Trump administration and the GOP. Plus, we preview the key races to watch as primary results roll in this evening. <\/em>
Sign up to receive this newsletter in your inbox every weekday here.<\/em><\/a>
\u2014 Adam Wollner<\/em>
President Donald Trump<\/strong>\u2019s Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency is revving up its operations<\/a> across the country \u2014 a move fraught with political risk as the midterm elections draw closer.
While the Department of Homeland Security is under new direction with Secretary Markwayne Mullin <\/strong>at the helm, many of the past controversies that have loomed over the administration\u2019s immigration agenda are back at the fore: questions over whom ICE is targeting for arrest, fatal shootings<\/a> after vehicle stops and the conditions<\/a> and deaths of those in detention<\/a>. Negative headlines in cities big and small \u2014 including in battleground states \u2014 have returned in full force. So, too, has public outcry<\/a> over it all.
There\u2019s evidence of the political peril of bringing the country back to the height of immigration clashes. In the wake of two shootings of U.S. citizens in Minnesota by federal immigration agents earlier this year, an NBC News poll<\/a> found that 60% of adults disapproved of Trump\u2019s handling of immigration and border security. It was a sizable shift from earlier polls in which immigration was one of Trump\u2019s strongest issues.
Not much has changed. A July Economist\/YouGov poll<\/a> found that 54% of Americans disapproved of Trump\u2019s handling of immigration, while the same proportion said they had little or no confidence in ICE. And 58% of those surveyed, including 63% of independents, said ICE has used too much force.
In Maine, the uproar over the shooting death<\/a> of Johan Sebasti\u00e1n Dur\u00e1n Guerrero<\/strong> by an ICE agent last month has put GOP Sen. Susan Collins<\/strong> under scrutiny for her June vote<\/a> to fund the agency without including a series of policy restrictions.
Earlier today, protesters gathered<\/a> outside Collins\u2019 office in Biddeford, Maine. Democrats see her seat as critical to winning back the Senate. While she has proved resilient to challenges over her decades in office, Collins \u2014 like other Republicans in tough races this fall \u2014 is already trying to message around an unpopular president, a protracted war in Iran and the high cost of gas and groceries.
Last week in Texas, where another Senate race is fiercely playing out between Republican state Attorney General Ken Paxton<\/strong> and Democratic state Rep. James Talarico<\/strong>, a Trump voter\u2019s tale of his fianc\u00e9e\u2019s arrest at an airport drew national television coverage<\/a> and millions of views<\/a> across social media.
\u201cThey\u2019re destroying families. Jobs,\u201d John Gannon<\/strong>, who described himself as a lifelong Republican, told CBS News. \u201cThey didn\u2019t tell us why.\u201d Gannon said that if he were given the choice, he wouldn\u2019t vote for Trump again.
Elsewhere in Texas, the fatal shooting of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo<\/strong> by immigration agents is under investigation<\/a>.
Under Mullin, ICE has reported a record number of arrests. But the tragedies are again piling up, as are questions about agent training and the legality of many of the arrests<\/a>. Images of new tactics, like targeting immigrants in airports<\/a>, are spreading across social media.
While the White House didn\u2019t immediately respond to a request for comment, Trump isn\u2019t showing signs of letting up on the crackdown. When DHS said last month that it would suspend vehicle stops after two fatal shootings, Trump made it clear<\/a> that wasn\u2019t what he wanted.
\u201cWe CANNOT give up one of ICE\u2019s most important and effective Crime Fighting tools,\u201d Trump wrote on Truth Social in July. \u201cTHE TRAFFIC STOP!\u201d
The Democratic Party\u2019s ideological and generational divides are on full display in today\u2019s primaries across several states.
As we highlighted yesterday<\/a>, the Wisconsin Democratic primary for governor has boiled down to a two-person race between state Rep. Francesca Hong<\/strong>, a democratic socialist, and Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley<\/strong>, who got a late endorsement from outgoing Gov. Tony Evers<\/strong>. Minnesota\u2019s Democratic Senate primary also features a progressive-versus-moderate battle between Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan<\/strong> and Rep. Angie Craig<\/strong>.
While those contests are sure to dominate the headlines tonight \u2014 along with the special Republican primary in South Carolina after Sen. Lindsey Graham<\/strong>\u2019s death \u2014 yet another House Democrat faces a tough race against a younger challenger in Connecticut\u2019s 1st District.
Democratic Rep. John Larson<\/strong>, 78, is fighting for his political career against former Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin<\/strong>, 47. Larson, who first won his House seat in 1998, was endorsed by the state\u2019s entire congressional delegation and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries<\/strong>, D-N.Y.
But Bronin is calling for generational change in Congress, outraising Larson and winning the support of party delegates at the state Democratic convention. He also has the endorsement of former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg<\/strong>, a potential 2028 presidential contender.
Larson told NBC News recently<\/a> that Bronin threatened that he was \u201cgoing to turn me into Joe Biden<\/strong>\u201d at a meeting where he asked Larson to step aside, comments Bronin denies making.
Larson is looking to avoid joining the growing list of sitting lawmakers who have been denied renomination this election cycle. As Annelise Hanson recently noted<\/a>, nine House members \u2014 six Democrats and three Republicans \u2014 have lost their primaries in 2026, the most outside a national redistricting year since 1970.
Read more on tonight\u2019s primaries \u2192<\/strong><\/a>
📩The Data Dive:<\/strong> And make sure to check out Steve Kornacki\u2019<\/strong>s new weekly newsletter for NBC News subscribers<\/a> about the numbers and trends shaping the biggest stories heading into the midterms. In today\u2019s edition<\/a>, he digs further into the establishment\u2019s late scramble to stop Hong in Wisconsin.
📽️<\/strong>Tune in to <\/strong><\/em>the Kornacki Cam at 7 p.m. ET<\/strong><\/em><\/a> to watch Steve break down all of tonight\u2019s results.<\/strong><\/em>
That\u2019s all From the Politics Desk for now. Today\u2019s newsletter was compiled by Adam Wollner and Lauren Zola.<\/em>
If you have feedback \u2014 likes or dislikes \u2014 email us at <\/em>politicsnewsletter@nbcuni.com<\/strong><\/em><\/a>
And if you\u2019re a fan, please share with everyone and anyone. They can sign up <\/em>here<\/strong><\/em><\/a>. <\/em>
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© 2026 NBCUniversal Media, LLC<\/p>\n

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news AlertsThere are no new alerts at this timeWelcome to From the Politics Desk, a daily newsletter that brings you the NBC News Politics team\u2019s latest reporting and analysis from the White House, Capitol Hill and the campaign trail.In today\u2019s edition, Natasha Korecki digs into the perilous immigration politics facing the Trump administration and the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":220340,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-220339","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-us","entry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/220339","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=220339"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/220339\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/220340"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=220339"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=220339"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=220339"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}