[LINK] "Trump immigration raids are for white voters in the Midwest"

[rfmcdonald]

The Power and the Money's Noel Maurer argues that recent immigration raids in the United States, which have been high-profile but actually have not taken that many people into custody, might be a sort of political theatre for Trump's voters. (Or, they might be more than that.)

So what is the point? Two possibilities.

1.This is just the start of a massively stepped-up program, including those National Guard mobilizations and lots of new federal spending.

2.This is intended to give Trump voters a sense that something dramatic is being done. The terror that it strikes among immigrants is collateral damage. (Or maybe collateral benefit, from Steve Bannon’s point of view.)

Considering that this administration appears to be the opposite of a well-oiled machine in terms of management ability, but does seem to be taking the permanent campaign to a new level, I would bet on the latter. Like the infamous taco bowl tweet from the campaign, this is aimed squarely at angry white voters.

Comments

[dewline]

This explanation-theory works for me. Up to a point.

I do worry about the dot-connecting I do when I think of Bill C-23 and that memo about the possibility of militarising immigration enforcement.