"Like many Donald Trump voters, Miranda Niedermeier is not opposed to immigration enforcement. She was heartened by initial moves from the Republican president in his second term that she saw as targeting immigrants who were in the United States illegally and had committed crimes. But Niedermeier, 35, has steadily become disillusioned with Trump. Never more so than in recent weeks, when federal immigration officers killed two U.S. citizens during Trump's crackdown in Minneapolis."
"'In the beginning, they were getting criminals, but now they're tearing people out of immigration proceedings, looking for the tiniest traffic infraction' to deport someone, said Niedermeier. She said she is horrified because the administration's approach is not Christian. 'It shouldn't be life and death,' she said. 'We're not a Third World country. What the hell is going on?'"
"If such sentiments hold until the fall, that could imperil House Republicans who won their seats by narrow margins and could jeopardize the GOP's full control of political power in Washington. Even a small shift is significant in the 8th District, where Republican Gabe Evans was elected to Congress in 2024 by 2,449 votes out of more than 333,000 cast."
Supporters initially welcomed enforcement aimed at immigrants who had committed crimes, but recent federal operations in Minneapolis that killed two U.S. citizens have caused growing disillusionment. Residents report agents detaining children, splitting families and pursuing minor infractions to effect deportations. Community members describe the approach as inhumane and inconsistent with Christian values. The Minnesota crackdown has resonated across Colorado's 8th Congressional District, affecting workers in farms, oil fields and shopping centers. Voters are urging a cooling of enforcement. Small shifts in sentiment could imperil narrowly won Republican seats, including Gabe Evans's 2024 victory by 2,449 votes.
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