The Trump administration has repeatedly claimed that its stricter immigration enforcement is a widely supported policy, implying that only far-left critics oppose it. But a different picture is forming as the aggressive tactics of immigration agents, who track down and deport people without hesitation, are making even some of the president’s strongest MAGA allies uncomfortable.
This change in attitude shows that more people are starting to see the real-world effects of a broad crackdown on immigration. One of those expressing concern is Florida Republican Representative Mario Diaz-Balart. He shared his serious doubts in a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, as found by NBC.
His worry focuses especially on the arrest and possible deportation of Gregory Sanabria, a man from Venezuela. Human rights groups say Sanabria suffered severe abuse, including torture, under the rule of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro’s government. This case has brought attention to bigger concerns about how the administration treats people escaping oppressive regimes.
Another republican senator is writing against how deportations are happening
Sanabria’s situation is even more important because the Trump administration recently ended temporary protections for hundreds of thousands of people from Venezuela, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Cuba. These individuals had been allowed to stay in the U.S. under an earlier program. Removing these protections has caused widespread fear in communities with large populations of these immigrants. As a result, some Republican lawmakers, like Diaz-Balart, whose districts are heavily affected by these policies, are now asking the administration to show more mercy and rethink its decisions.
I sent a letter to DHS raising serious concerns about its recent detainment of Gregory Sanabria, a brave political prisoner who spent more than three years imprisoned—including in Maduro’s infamous torture center, El Helicoide. During that time, he was nearly killed. If returned… pic.twitter.com/HEWG4rmbtz
— Mario Díaz-Balart (@MarioDB) June 15, 2025
Representative Diaz-Balart publicly stated his growing concern over the increasing number of cases where people who fled oppressive governments are being detained and possibly deported. He stressed that cases like Sanabria’s need a thorough review. He said, “I’m increasingly concerned with the growing cases of people in the United States who have fled oppressive regimes and are being detained and held for possible deportation.”
In his letter to Secretary Noem, the congressman specifically asked for a careful reassessment of Sanabria’s case, saying he was deeply troubled by the idea of sending him back to danger under Maduro’s rule. Diaz-Balart highlighted that the U.S. should continue to stand as a global symbol of freedom and democracy. He argued that protecting those fleeing tyranny shows American values, strengthens the country’s leadership, and improves national security when dealing with hostile governments like Venezuela’s.
This growing discomfort among the president’s supporters is part of a larger trend where even loyal backers face the harsh reality of the administration’s immigration policies. This includes realizing how little regard seems to be given to the human cost of these actions. Well-known figures who have supported the president in the past, like podcaster Joe Rogan, have also spoken out against the mass deportation strategy or just turned against Trump altogether, like Elon Musk.
