Concerns about the tactics of federal immigration agents remain front of mind for some key voters who supported President Trump in 2024.
NPR observed two online focus groups on Tuesday night, with 14 voters from Arizona who supported Joe Biden in 2020 and then swung to Trump in 2024. Four voters identified themselves as Democrats, three as Republicans and seven as independents.
Twelve of the 14 participants said they felt Immigration and Customs Enforcement "has gone too far" in carrying out its operations. And nine participants said they know someone who has changed their daily life out of concern for a possible interaction with ICE. Some said ICE's presence in the border state had begun to directly affect them, as well.
Reflecting on recent immigration enforcement in Minneapolis, where two U.S. citizens have been fatally shot by federal agents, various focus group participants described ICE actions as "aggressive," "out of control" and said they worried the country was becoming a "police state."
Rich Thau, who moderated the focus groups, said the economy remains a top concern for these swing voters, but immigration has become "a more pressing and more urgent concern."
"They want ICE to protect them, but they don't want ICE to be doing it the way they're doing it now," he said, "which is way too present in their lives, way too present in their family and friends' lives."
The focus groups were part of the Swing Voter Project conducted by Thau's Engagious and market research firm Sago. NPR is a partner on the project.
"People shouldn't have to live like that"
While focus groups don't provide statistically significant results like a poll does, the participants' reflections match survey data, as immigration has become a growing liability for Trump.
Esmerita S. — who identifies as a Democrat — said she was born and raised in the United States and is Hispanic. She said an ICE detention center was built close by, which has made her nervous to walk around. (Participants agreed to be part of the focus groups on condition that they be identified by their first names and last initials only.)
"I don't want to go to Starbucks just down the street from there because I'm like, 'What if they're there and I look like I'm Hispanic?' " she said. "That's scary. People shouldn't have to live like that."
Carolyn B. — also a Democrat — said ICE agents were recently in her neighborhood intimidating older residents.
"They were going door to door knocking, asking the people — and I live in a 55, an older community — and they were trying to find Asian people so that they could deport them," she said. "The show of force and power. And they don't follow any rules and they do whatever they want. It's just too much."
Stephanie O., an independent voter originally from Nigeria, said she's observed members of her community wrongfully detained, and it's made her worry about ending up in the same situation.
"And so it's like you have to almost carry your passports just in case I look like someone who is here illegally," she said.
While many of the focus group participants said overall they support Trump's efforts to decrease illegal immigration in the country, they have serious worries about how that work is being done.
"It just escalates a situation where if [federal agents] came in in proper attire and acted properly, I think a lot of people are tired of the immigration problem and would be OK with it," said Nancy P., an independent voter. "It's just the whole way they're doing it."
Support for ICE — but with reforms
The voters expressed support for a range of proposed immigration enforcement reforms currently before Congress. Many of these reforms are backed primarily by Democrats.
Requiring independent investigations after incidents take place and requiring that agents wear body cameras had unanimous support among focus group participants. Prohibiting the use of face coverings was among the least popular proposals.
No one supported abolishing ICE altogether.
"You can't have a country without borders, and someone needs to enforce that," said Scott G., a self-described independent.
Thau said the lesson Republicans should draw from these conversations is that they need to "rein in" ICE. However, Democrats, he said, should be wary of embracing calls to eliminate the agency altogether — a stance the party has not embraced.
Economic anxiety, and other takeaways
- Most voters said they have more anxiety about the economy now, as compared with a year ago. While several people mentioned Trump's tariffs as worsening the cost of living and layoffs across different sectors, others were reluctant to blame the president for the economy.
- Most voters said they disapprove of Trump's job performance.
- Democrats, though, weren't popular, with respondents using words like "disjointed" and "disappointing" to describe the party.
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