SACRAMENTO — As President Donald Trump intensifies mass deportation operations across California, Gov. Gavin Newsom is leaning into the immigration fight — framing it as central to his campaign to reshape the state’s political map and galvanize Democratic voters.
While many Democrats nationally have moved to harden their stance on border security since Trump’s return to the White House, Newsom is doubling down on opposition. He has repeatedly invoked images of masked ICE agents conducting raids, featuring the footage prominently in campaign ads and public appearances. His message: Trump’s tactics amount to authoritarian overreach that threatens families and democracy itself.
The approach underscores a gamble by Newsom and his allies: that outrage over sweeping immigration enforcement can mobilize Latino voters and other Democratic constituencies much as California’s Proposition 187 did in the 1990s, when anti-immigrant policies triggered a lasting political realignment.
“We’re not talking about prioritizing criminals,” said Juan Rodriguez, a senior Newsom adviser. “We’re talking about racial discrimination, and that has united the Democratic Party to be clearer about what’s at stake.”
The raids — targeting workplaces, courthouses, and schools — have escalated tensions between California and the White House. Local officials say they mark an unprecedented intervention in major cities like Los Angeles, home to a large share of the state’s electorate. Newsom has responded with new legislation restricting ICE’s presence in schools and prohibiting masked federal officers, while warning voters that Trump is “previewing things to come.”
Democrats view the crackdown as both a policy and political crisis. Labor unions, including SEIU California and the California Labor Federation, have poured millions into Newsom’s redistricting campaign, citing the raids as a tipping point. “We’re at a Proposition 187 moment,” SEIU president David Huerta said, arguing Trump’s actions are reshaping voter attitudes.
Republicans, meanwhile, accuse Newsom of exploiting the issue to consolidate power. “Californians, especially Latinos, see right through this scheme,” said Hector Barajas, a spokesperson for the opposition to Proposition 50, the redistricting measure.
National Democrats remain cautious, wary of emphasizing immigration over bread-and-butter economic issues in swing districts. But polling suggests Trump’s immigration agenda may be losing traction. A recent Latino Community Foundation survey found widespread disapproval among Latino voters, who say deportations of longtime workers contradict Trump’s campaign promises.
Still, strategists warn the politics remain volatile. “It’s not a priority issue like the economy and affordability,” said GOP consultant Mike Madrid, an expert in Latino voting trends. “Democrats are speaking to their base, but Latinos remain most concerned about costs of living.”
For Newsom, however, the images of masked agents conducting raids have become the rallying cry of his campaign. “That’s Trump’s America,” he said at a recent press conference. “But it is not the America we’ve grown up in — and we’re pushing back.”
