Trump Vows 'Softer Touch' but Forges Ahead with 'Mass Deportation'

Immigrant advocates warn that despite rhetoric changes, the administration's enforcement campaign will continue unabated.

Published on Feb. 7, 2026

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While President Donald Trump says immigration agents could have used "a softer touch" in Minneapolis, local advocates and national experts predict not much will change in the White House's pursuit of the largest mass deportation in history. The administration is primed to supercharge its enforcement campaign for the next three years with billions in new funding for ICE detention and thousands more agents on the street, despite growing public opposition.

Why it matters

Trump's hardline immigration enforcement has upset millions of Americans who supported deporting immigrants with criminal records but are uncomfortable with the aggressive tactics and detention of longtime community members and their children. This case highlights the disconnect between the administration's rhetoric and the reality of its enforcement policies.

The details

The administration is forging ahead with "mass deportation" plans, with policies and funding that remain in place, including $45 billion in new ICE detention funding and orders encouraging aggressive deportation sweeps. While Trump may be dialing down his own rhetoric, his administration is primed to supercharge enforcement with thousands more agents on the street.

  • In a Feb. 4 Oval Office interview, Trump said he learned agents may need "a little bit of a softer touch."
  • Last month, Vice President JD Vance promised agents would be going "door to door" to find people to remove.

The players

Donald Trump

The former president who campaigned on a promise of mass deportation and is now pursuing that agenda through his administration's policies and funding.

Greg Bovino

The former Border Patrol Commander-at-Large who led the controversial Operation Metro Surge in Minneapolis before being removed from his position.

Tom Homan

The new White House border czar who has long pushed for similar hardline immigration enforcement policies as Bovino, albeit with a lower profile.

Andrea Flores

A former immigration advisor to the Obama and Biden administrations who warns that until the administration changes its mass deportation policy, "there is just no option for people, and our undocumented population is so big."

Mark Krikorian

The executive director of the Center for Immigration Studies, which advocates for reduced immigration, who says the shift in tone and change in leadership is meaningful and signals a return to more traditional law enforcement efforts.

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What they’re saying

“Until (Trump) starts saying that mass deportation itself is the wrong policy, the reality is he can do so much damage. There is just no option for people, and our undocumented population is so big.”

— Andrea Flores, Former immigration advisor to the Obama and Biden administrations

“Let me be clear, President Trump fully intends to achieve mass deportations during this administration, and immigration enforcement actions will continue every day throughout this country. President Trump made a promise.”

— Tom Homan

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This case highlights growing concerns in the community about repeat offenders released on bail, raising questions about bail reform, public safety on SF streets, and if any special laws to govern autonomous vehicles in residential and commercial areas.