As the Trump administration moves forward with plans to escalate deportation efforts, a growing number of Republican lawmakers are voicing concerns over the sweeping scope of the initiative, Axios reported Tuesday.
The White House has directed Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to arrest 3,000 individuals per day and significantly ramp up deportation numbers. This aggressive strategy could result in a rise in workplace raids and broader enforcement actions that reach beyond criminal offenders, the report noted.
While Republicans largely support removing violent criminals and gang members, a growing faction within the party is urging the administration to take a measured approach — one that spares long-established residents, laborers, and individuals fleeing oppressive regimes.
Rep. David Valadao (R-Calif.) is calling on the administration to focus its efforts on "known criminals" rather than “hardworking people who have lived peacefully in the Valley for years,” according to the report.
Rep. Carlos Gimenez (R-Fla.) expressed concerns over economic disruption, saying that deporting those who have long been part of the workforce could negatively impact key sectors and communities.
"We need to work something else out for those," he told Axios.Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-TX) echoed the sentiment, emphasizing that enforcement should target "convicted criminal illegal aliens" instead of agricultural workers.
Similarly, Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-Fla.) raised human rights concerns, warning against deporting individuals back to authoritarian regimes such as Cuba, Nicaragua, or North Korea, where their safety could be at risk.
Though not a full-scale revolt, the comments suggest that tensions are rising over how far the administration should go in its immigration crackdown, and whether the current approach strikes the right balance between law enforcement and humanitarian considerations, the report notes.