This Time, They Must Resist

The Trump administration has surged ICE agents into Minneapolis to deport illegal aliens, which has spawned the usual leftist histrionics. Never mind that they are merely enforcing federal law, nor the Supremacy Clause of the constitution making state law subordinate to federal law. What explains this?

Yes, there is a disturbingly large number of Democrats who will reflexively oppose anything Donald Trump does or says. There was a joke going around X earlier this week: if he were to cure cancer tomorrow, Democrats would take to the streets to defend cancer cells' right to live. And yes, the deportation of people here illegally seems tailor-made to tickle liberals' need for cosplay as a way to prop-up their self-image. The tragic death of Renee Good last week joins the list of real-world consequences of liberal fantasization.

But I think this one is different: if I were a member of the reality-based segment of the Democrat coalition, the prospect of large-scale deportations would be deeply unsettling. You may remember the controversy in 2020 as to whether illegals should be counted in the census. Trump prevailed eventually at the Supreme Court, but his victory was rendered moot by Joe Biden's election (Biden happily included them). This matters because the census is used as the basis for the decennial reapportionment of seats in the House of Representatives, and hence Electoral College votes. Back then, the New York Post estimated that "California alone could potentially lose two or three seats if illegals are not counted in the 2020 census." As it happened, California, Illinois and New York lost a seat apiece (Texas gained two, and Florida, Montana & North Carolina gained once apiece).

The New York Times last year ran a permission piece on the Democrats' dismal prospects for the 2030 census: California is projected to lose up to three seats, New York two, Minnesota, Illinois and Rhode Island one apiece. Texas & Florida are projected to pick-up four apiece. To say nothing of the seeming likelihood that the Supreme Court will strike-down the use of race in drawing congressional districts potentially leading to further Democratic losses across the south.

Now add to that the prospect of millions fewer illegal aliens to be counted in the 2030 census (regardless of who is in the White House at that time) and you can understand the desperation. The Daily Signal reports here on who's funding the organizers of these protests. It's the usual shell game; "nice" liberals donate to 501(c)(3)s & 501(c)(4)s with names like "The Solutions Project", "Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors", or "Amalgamated Charitable" who then shuffle them through layers of cutouts until the funds wind-up at organizations like "Defend the 612" who train people to obstruct federal law enforcement (I'm reminded of Bitcoin mixers, here).

With so much at stake, I don't expect this to end soon.

01/16/26 16:22

Many on all sides are calling to "turn down the temperature" in Minneapolis. Thing is, the Democrats can't. They're already poised to lose seats in the 2030 Congressional reapportionment due to domestic migration & they can't afford to lose millions of illegals aliens in their states, as well.

Many on all sides are calling to "turn down the temperature" in Minneapolis. Thing is, the Democrats can't. They're already poised to lose seats in the 2030 Congressional reapportionment due to domestic migration & they can't afford to lose millions of illegals aliens in their states, as well.