Many Democrats are concerned — and Republicans are convinced — that the images of violence and mayhem coming from Los Angeles will boost President Donald Trump. Polls show that Trump still enjoys a net positive approval rating on immigration — and anytime it dominates a news cycle means less attention on the flagging popularity of his policies on inflation, tariffs, or potential cuts to Medicaid.
But it’s also not accurate to call what’s happening in Los Angeles an “immigration” story. It’s also about security and crime, with scenes of looting and clashes with police dominating the media coverage of the situation. And, when it comes to those issues, Trump’s approval ratings are even more solid than his immigration numbers. In a May YouGov survey, Trump’s only positive marks from voters came on four issues: crime (+9), border security (+4), national security (+1) and immigration (+1). The situation in Los Angeles incorporates all of those topics.
If we separate out the immigration issue at the heart of these protests from the destruction taking place, is this still a political fight that
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