On the 20th (local time), as concerns grow over the Trump administration's excessive immigration crackdowns, a third death occurred at an immigrant detention facility, leading to continued citizen protests. [Photo=AFP·Yonhap News]

Amid escalating protests in Minnesota over crackdowns on undocumented immigrants, approximately 1,500 troops from the U.S. Army's 11th Airborne Division, stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, have reportedly received an "alternate deployment readiness order." 

This is not an immediate deployment order but a precautionary measure in case the situation cannot be controlled by the National Guard and federal law enforcement. The mere mention of regular troops in domestic security matters underscores the gravity of the situation.

The crackdown on undocumented immigrants in the U.S. has emerged as a key variable in American politics for 2026. There are issues with the methods of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the social backlash surrounding them. All of this is the result of incidents and conflicts that have accumulated since 2025. 

ICE's Urban Center Crackdowns... Urban Immigrant Communities Turn Anti-Republican

Starting January 20, 2025, the first day of Donald Trump's second term as U.S. President, ICE began large-scale crackdowns on undocumented immigrants. Previously, crackdowns were concentrated along the border, but from mid-2025 onwards, ICE abruptly shifted its focus to community arrests within urban areas. 

This led to criticism that ICE's urban-centric crackdowns were a "showy law enforcement" tactic intended to impress the public by being visible in the media and on social media services (SNS).

As of the end of 2025, ICE recorded over 328,000 arrests, the majority of which occurred during crackdowns in major urban centers. There are also reports of approximately 327,000 deportations, a significant increase compared to the previous year.

However, what is more important than the numbers is "where" and "how" the crackdowns occurred. Arrests in major cities such as New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, and the Twin Cities (Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota) have increased year by year. In contrast, ICE crackdowns in rural areas are relatively lax. 

In key agricultural regions like California's Central Valley, Texas's Rio Grande Valley, and the meatpacking belts of Iowa and Nebraska, large-scale crackdowns have been virtually non-existent. These areas are crucial to the U.S. food supply and are the hub of economic activity for nearly 1.2 million immigrant workers. 

Large-scale arrests in these regions would cause labor shortages, leading to a surge in food prices due to production disruptions. Therefore, crackdowns have been lenient. This has not only drawn criticism of "discriminatory crackdowns" but has also led to a political divide between urban and rural areas regarding enforcement.

This disparity in crackdowns has gone beyond mere administrative decisions and has caused division in American society. Hispanic and Latino communities in large cities have begun to view these crackdowns as "targeted attacks." 

These are communities that traditionally respond passively to opinion polls but are organized at the ballot box. As a result, Hispanic and Latino communities, classified as potential Democratic voters, could become definite anti-Republican voters due to ICE's urban-centric crackdowns. 

The Death of Renée Nicole Good... Minnesota Protests and ICE's "Operation Metro Surge"

On January 7, 2026, Renée Nicole Good, a 37-year-old white woman, was killed by an ICE agent's gunfire in a residential area in south Minneapolis, Minnesota. This incident created a symbolic image that ICE crackdowns are not merely about apprehending undocumented immigrants but can also pose a threat to U.S. citizens. 

The incident ignited a nationwide debate, with claims that "ICE is infringing on the fundamental freedoms and constitutional rights of local residents beyond the crackdown on undocumented immigrants." 

Specifically, starting January 10-11, 2026, protests escalated with slogans such as "Abolish ICE" and "No Peace Without Justice," leading to protest marches and demonstrations in cities like Los Angeles, New York, Washington D.C., Philadelphia, and Boston. 

Among these, the protests in Minnesota have been particularly intense. They have not been limited to street demonstrations; students participated in walkouts to protest, and Democratic Governor Timothy James Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey strongly demanded ICE's withdrawal, leading to conflict with the federal government. 

In response, the federal government deployed an additional 2,000 ICE agents to the Twin Cities, initiating what is known as "Operation Metro Surge," deploying a total of approximately 3,000 federal agents. 

ICE Crackdowns Ahead of U.S. Midterm Elections... Hispanic and Latino Communities Shift Their Votes

With the U.S. midterm elections in November 2026 approaching, where all seats in the House of Representatives and one-third of the Senate seats will be up for election, along with numerous governorships, the crackdown on undocumented immigrants has become a hot political issue. Historically, the party in power tends to lose seats in midterm elections. 

ICE's imbalanced crackdowns between urban and rural areas are creating stark political effects. 

There is a noticeable shift in the voting intentions of Hispanic and Latino communities in major cities, and in rural areas, there are strong voices of concern about the economic repercussions of the crackdowns. The closure of the border itself is still welcomed by many Americans. 

However, concerns are growing that the conflicts and repercussions stemming from large-scale arrest operations within major cities could shake up the landscape of the upcoming midterm elections. 

Hankook Ilbo Editorial Department