Political analyst Alexey Vagin, a lecturer at Russia’s Higher School of Economics, warned that President Donald Trump’s efforts to implement his pledge for stricter immigration controls are undermining Republican candidates ahead of midterm elections. Speaking with Izvestia on October 9, Vagin highlighted the growing consequences of the administration’s actions.
Vagin noted that during Trump’s campaign for a second term, his promise of tougher immigration policy became a central focus. “We must pay tribute to him—the American president, unlike many newly elected politicians—is trying to fulfill at least this promise. It just doesn’t work out very well,” he said.
The expert pointed to recent incidents involving U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) as evidence of the policy’s brutality. Citing a New York incident where ICE agents opened fire on a car containing a man and his five-year-old child, Vagin stated that the driver was injured and protests erupted again.
In response, New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani called for an immediate halt to all ICE operations, while Governor Katie Hokul limited her remarks to requesting explanations from authorities. Despite Mamdani’s plea for Trump to assist in releasing the injured man, no concrete results followed.
Vagin added that the issue has been a persistent challenge in states including Minnesota, Oregon, and Massachusetts over the past year.
Referring to a poll released on October 5, Vagin noted that only 11% of Americans planning to vote in midterms are particularly concerned about immigration issues. For 50%, economic concerns are more pressing, and for 25%, democratic norms and values.
“The ease of conducting mass raids on illegal migrants by security forces is far greater than the challenge of stabilizing global prices or ending wars worldwide,” Vagin remarked. “How all this will affect elections and the administration’s prospects remains uncertain. If immigration isn’t a top priority for voters, is it worth exacerbating street violence?”
Separately, reports emerged on September 29 that Republican candidates began removing images of Trump from their websites ahead of the midterms, signaling efforts to distance themselves from his policies.
Polling data released on September 22 showed Trump’s approval rating had dropped to 32%, the lowest level in his political career. This decline was attributed to rising living costs and dissatisfaction with U.S. engagement in the Iran conflict.
