GREELEY, Colo (AP) — Many voters who once supported Donald Trump for his tough stance on immigration are beginning to feel disillusioned. Miranda Niedermeier, 35, expressed her concerns following the deaths of two U.S. citizens during immigration operations in Minneapolis. Initially, she appreciated Trump's commitment to deporting serious criminals, but she feels that the current wave of enforcement has become excessively punitive, targeting even minor infractions.
“In the beginning, they were getting criminals, but now they’re tearing people out of immigration proceedings, looking for the tiniest traffic infraction,” Niedermeier said, reflecting a growing unease among Trump supporters in her community. She questioned the morality of these actions, stating, “It shouldn’t be life and death. What the hell is going on?”
This sentiment echoes throughout Colorado’s 8th Congressional District, a politically diverse area that is feeling the ripples of recent immigration incidents. Some voters, such as Edgar Cautle, a 30-year-old oil field worker, have become distressed by the images of children detained and families split apart. “It’s making people not like him,” he said regarding Trump’s hardline approach.
Republican Congressman Calls for Focus on Criminals
House Republicans who narrowly won their seats are facing a potential backlash if discontent with the Trump administration's immigration policies continues. Gabe Evans, a Republican congressman who won a tight race in 2024, advocates for immigration enforcement to prioritize serious criminals, saying, “gangbangers, not grandmas.”
Evans himself feels wary about the extent of ICE operations, particularly their capability to act on just administrative warrants, and he anticipates questioning officials about this during a House hearing. Despite his concerns, he deflects blame to Democrats for the recent unrest, portraying them as using the situation for political gain.
Conflicted Views on Immigration Enforcement
With approximately 40% of voters in Evans’ district being Hispanic, conversations about immigration are fraught with division. Many Hispanic voters express fear for their safety under current policies, feeling that their appearance or names could make them targets for ICE. Jennifer Hernandez, for example, shared her anxiety while shopping, contemplating the implications of racial profiling.
Conversely, some in the district still support Trump’s immigration policies, emphasizing the need for enforcement to ensure lawful conduct. However, this support is far from unanimous, and the emotional toll of these enforcement actions has sparked conversations about voting and civic engagement among those who typically abstain from politics.
As the landscape shifts in response to these events, many community members, including those who previously did not vote, are now motivated to take action in upcoming elections, seeking to influence a system that feels increasingly hostile to their rights and safety.
