The Department of Homeland Security is now reportedly preparing to overhaul its immigration enforcement tactics, moving away from the large-scale, highly visible raids that have made headlines in cities across the country. According to reporting from NewsNation’s Ali Bradley, DHS will redirect its focus toward specific high-priority targets — namely illegal immigrants convicted of serious crimes — rather than conducting broad sweeps at locations like Home Depot or other public gathering spots.
Sources inside DHS told Bradley that U.S. Border Patrol teams under Commander Gregory Bovino will pivot toward more precise operations. Agents will emphasize targeted arrests and enhanced traffic-stop enforcement instead of mass roundups that tend to generate intense media coverage. Bradley noted on NewsNation’s “The Hill” that the public should not expect to see Border Patrol “grabbing people off the streets” under the updated approach.
The shift comes during a period of unfavorable polling for President Trump on immigration — an issue he has made central to both his 2024 campaign and his second-term agenda. A new survey from the Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) shows support for Trump’s handling of immigration has slipped from 42 percent in March to 33 percent today. Another November poll from YouGov found that a majority of Americans disapproved of recent ICE operations tied to the administration’s mass deportation efforts.
Polling highlighted by The New York Times and the KFF health policy group found that roughly half of immigrants surveyed say they and their families “feel less safe” with Trump back in office. Meanwhile, enforcement operations in Los Angeles, Chicago, Charlotte, and other cities have sparked protests, confrontations with agents, and criticism from activists who claim the administration’s policies go too far.
Despite the change in tactics, one of DHS’s most aggressive crackdowns — Operation “Catahoula Crunch” in New Orleans — will continue. Bradley reported that the operation has already resulted in more than 250 arrests and that DHS has stated its end goal is 5,000 arrests.
The recalibration appears designed to maintain strong enforcement while reducing the political fallout tied to large, highly visible raids. Targeting criminal aliens — a priority emphasized repeatedly by conservatives — allows DHS to focus resources on individuals who pose a clear public-safety threat while minimizing the optics that critics and media outlets often use to attack broader immigration policy.
Still, the strategy shift reflects the administration’s recognition that immigration enforcement is not only a policy challenge but also a messaging battle. By focusing on convicted criminals rather than conducting sweeping raids, DHS aims to blunt opposition narratives and highlight a contrast between cracking down on dangerous offenders and the previous administration’s more permissive approach.
Whether the strategy adjustment will improve public perception remains to be seen. For now, the administration is signaling that it will continue mass enforcement efforts where it believes they are justified — such as in New Orleans — while refining how those operations are carried out across the rest of the country.
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