Trump Sets One Trap at the SOTU, and Falls Into Another

Ruben Navarrette
Thu, 26 Feb 2026 16:57:20 -0800
Opinion

SAN DIEGO — More Americans are realizing that both political parties have failed miserably in dealing with immigration.

It's true that President Donald Trump has squandered his advantage. His approval rating on immigration has hit record lows, with only about 39% of Americans approving of how he handles the issue. Many think U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is going too far and grabbing people on a whim — including U.S. citizens, legal permanent residents, asylum applicants and others with a legal right to be in the United States.

But it's also true that Democrats have long failed the immigration test. Dating back to the 1990's, majorities of respondents have told pollsters that they have no confidence in Democrats' ability to either secure the border or decide what to do with millions of undocumented immigrants who are already here and working tirelessly to keep the U.S. economy humming along.
Updated: Thu Feb 26, 2026

SAN DIEGO — More Americans are realizing that both political parties have failed miserably in dealing with immigration.

It's true that President Donald Trump has squandered his advantage. His approval rating on immigration has hit record lows, with only about 39% of Americans approving of how he handles the issue. Many think U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is going too far and grabbing people on a whim — including U.S. citizens, legal permanent residents, asylum applicants and others with a legal right to be in the United States.

But it's also true that Democrats have long failed the immigration test. Dating back to the 1990's, majorities of respondents have told pollsters that they have no confidence in Democrats' ability to either secure the border or decide what to do with millions of undocumented immigrants who are already here and working tirelessly to keep the U.S. economy humming along.

According to a recent poll by The Associated Press and the NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, a sizable chunk of Americans — 28% — don't trust either Republicans or Democrats to deal effectively with the immigration issue.

Those are the facts. Alas, politics doesn't listen to facts. And, as evidenced by the master showman's performance during his recent State of the Union address, Trump still thinks the politics of the issue work in his favor.

Like any magician, Trump at some point turned to the audience for volunteers — and set a trap for Democrats.

"If you agree with this statement, then stand up and show your support," he told members of Congress seated before him. "The first duty of the American government is to protect American citizens. Not illegal aliens."

Every Republican lawmaker in the chamber stood up, and every Democratic legislator nervously sat on his or her hands.

That campaign ad for the 2028 mid-term elections practically creates itself.

Then, just to make sure Americans watching from home got the message, Trump turned the knife.

"Isn't that a shame?" he said, pointing to the Democrats who refused to stand. "You should be ashamed of yourself, not standing up. You should be ashamed of yourself.

Democrats are still smarting from that gimmick. They need to get over it. All's fair at the State of the Union.

They ought to know that. After all, in the 2023 State of the Union, the shoe was on the other foot. Former President Joe Biden challenged Republicans to raise the federal debt ceiling without allowing increases to Medicare and Social Security funding to sunset. Biden pushed Republicans into a corner, demanding on national television that they stand with senior citizens — who represent a powerful voting bloc. Republicans folded. Then Biden turned the knife with a memorable quip.

"I enjoy conversion," Biden joked, declaring that any cuts to those popular social entitlement programs were off the table.

During that State of the Union, Biden outmaneuvered Republicans. Now Trump has done the same thing to Democrats.

But the president couldn't resist taking a swing at one of the GOP's favorite pinatas: what he called "deadly sanctuary cities."

It takes chutzpah to use a word like "deadly" when the stormtroopers you command — both ICE and Border Patrol — have killed at least three U.S. citizens that we know of.

According to the yarn that Republicans like to spin, there are all these lawless — again, another word that the White House should avoid throwing around — Democratic-controlled municipalities in the United States where the undocumented can go and hide and live happily ever after.

Trump called on Congress to create "serious penalties for public officials who block the removal of criminal aliens."

As of 2025, there were estimated to be more than 1,000 "sanctuary" jurisdictions — cities, counties and states — in the United States.

Whatever that means. These feel-good declarations — which are largely symbolic and performative — mean nothing and protect no one. Let's remember that the list of alleged sanctuaries includes Los Angeles, New Orleans, Washington D.C., Boston, Chicago, New York and Minneapolis — all cities that have been brutalized by federal immigration agents in the last eight months.

Now we know the truth: The sanctuary laws, resolutions and ordinances that get everyone riled up are made of cotton candy.

And yet, like a broken record, Republicans keep trying to convince Americans that ICE and Border Patrol are powerless when all the public sees are those agencies abusing their power.

A lack of self-awareness is another kind of trap, and Republicans always walk right into it.

That's how politics works. Sometimes, you're the G.O.A.T. Other times, you're, well, the goat.