"I think the hardline stands will continue, especially given that Trump's already dispatched Marines, in addition to National Guards, to the most key states," warned Alan Zhang, Research Associate at the Institute for China-America Studies (ICAS), as protests against federal immigration raids escalated across the United States.
The unrest, triggered by President Trump's deployment of military forces to support Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations, has spread from Los Angeles to New York, Philadelphia, and Seattle. California Governor Gavin Newsom's emergency court motion to block troop deployment, accusing Trump of "turning the U.S. military against American citizens," underscores the deepening crisis.
A crowd gathers around a vandalized Waymo autonomous vehicle as it is engulfed in flames during a protest in response to a series of United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids, in Los Angeles. (Photo: CFP)
Zhang traced the upheaval to Trump's foundational agenda. "Border security has been one of the top priorities for President Trump since day one when he returned to the White House," he explained. The scholar noted the administration's aggressive implementation, stating Trump "started to deport undocumented immigrants, and sometimes even touches those who legally immigrated."
This approach, Zhang argued, is inextricably linked to the 2026 midterm elections. Recalling Trump's post-victory pledge with Elon Musk, he emphasized their declared "next priority has to be within the 2026 midterm election," which is a goal now imperiled by Republican seat losses in California that "narrowed their winning edge in the House."
People participate in a protest on the first day of the Trump administration's full ban against travel from 12 countries and a partial ban on seven others, at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) on June 9, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo: CFP)
Budgetary pressures compound the political challenge. Zhang highlighted unsustainable costs from Biden-era sanctuary policies that "create a lot of budgetary burden" through immigrant welfare provisions, forcing the administration to "struggle in Congress trying to cut down their budget while making room for defense spending." Immigrants admitted under previous rules are morphing into a "very powerful voting bloc" ahead of the midterms.
The fallout is intensifying nationwide. In New York, police detained 86 protesters after clashes near ICE facilities, while Philadelphia officers arrested 15 demonstrators during confrontations. In Seattle, Washington, activists blockaded immigration courts, chanting "Abolish ICE," and Texas Governor Greg Abbott deployed the National Guard to "ensure peace and order."
Thousands of anti-ICE protesters march up 6th Avenue from Foley Square Tuesday, demanding the Trump Administration stop apprehending undocumented foreign migrants. (Photo: CFP)
With activists planning "No Kings" rallies to counter Trump's military parade this weekend, Zhang cautioned that retreat is unlikely: "It is very difficult for President Trump to back down" after Newsom's call to "rise up against the Trump tyranny."
For an administration "still at the very early stages," Zhang concluded that projecting strength to voters remains critical amid mounting "dual pressures."
Reporter: Guo Zedong
Video: Ou Nanying
Cover: Lai Meiya
Editor: Yuan Zixiang, James, Shen He
