House Passes Bill to Deport Illegal Immigrants Who Assault Police, as GOP Expands Economic Edge

The Republican-led House of Representatives has passed a bill that would require the mandatory detention and deportation of illegal immigrants who assault law enforcement officers—despite opposition from a majority of Democrats.

The legislation, titled the “Detain and Deport Illegal Aliens Who Assault Cops Act,” was introduced by Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ) and passed with a 265–148 vote, with 54 Democrats breaking ranks to support the measure alongside Republicans.

Van Drew, a former Democrat turned Republican, made it clear the bill’s purpose was to uphold law and order.

“There is no reason that an illegal alien who attacks law enforcement should be allowed to stay in the United States. It’s a complete disregard for our laws, our values, and the safety of our communities,” Van Drew said following the vote.

The bill would require federal immigration authorities to detain any illegal immigrant who is charged with assaulting a police officer and initiate removal proceedings without delay. It also establishes a new legal category of inadmissibility for migrants who have been charged with or convicted of violence against law enforcement.

Republican leadership celebrated the bill’s passage as a victory for public safety.

“Once again, House Democrats have chosen to defend violent criminals over police officers,” said House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-MN). “The Democrat Party is quickly becoming the most anti-law enforcement party in American history.”

Democrats largely opposed the bill, arguing it could lead to due process violations or be used to broadly target undocumented migrants without fair hearings. However, the significant number of Democratic defectors underscores growing pressure from constituents concerned about public safety and immigration enforcement.

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GOP Widens Lead on Economic Issues

While Republicans score legislative wins on immigration and law enforcement, new polling data shows they are also making serious gains in the area that may decide the next election: the economy.

A recent CNN poll revealed a surprising trend: despite months of media criticism aimed at Donald Trump’s economic proposals, including tariffs and spending cuts, Americans now trust Republicans more than Democrats to handle the economy—by a margin of 8 percentage points.

CNN’s own data analyst, Harry Enten, expressed disbelief at the numbers during a recent segment.

“You’d think after months of fear-mongering over tariffs and market fluctuations, Democrats would be winning on this issue. But that’s not what we’re seeing,” Enten said.

“In November 2023, Republicans had an 11-point edge on the economy. Today, that advantage still stands at eight points. And even more striking—Reuters/Ipsos polling shows the GOP now holds a 12-point lead on the question of which party has a better economic plan.”

Enten said the numbers were especially troubling for Democrats given ongoing concerns about inflation, interest rates, and global instability.

“Despite all the chaos and uncertainty, voters still trust Republicans more to manage the economy,” he noted.

The analyst added that this trend isn’t isolated to one poll or moment in time—it’s showing up across multiple data sets and continues to grow even after Trump’s return to the political forefront.

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Middle-Class Voters Lean GOP

Pollsters say part of the GOP’s economic surge stems from growing support among middle-class Americans—once a reliable Democratic bloc. According to recent surveys, middle-income voters now favor Republicans by double digits when asked which party better represents their financial interests.

This marks a shift from previous election cycles, where Democrats often led on kitchen-table issues such as wages, health care, and cost of living. But with persistent inflation and rising housing costs, voters appear to be reassessing their loyalties.

Enten summarized the problem for Democrats bluntly:

“When it comes to the top issue for voters—economic security—Democrats are falling further and further behind. And if that doesn’t change, they’re going to have a serious problem in 2026.”

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Looking Ahead

With the House passing hardline immigration legislation and the GOP gaining ground with voters on the economy, Republicans are building a case for their policy agenda heading into the midterms.

Whether Democrats can reverse the polling slide remains to be seen. For now, public sentiment appears to favor the GOP on key fronts: border security, law enforcement, and economic leadership.

And if those trends hold, the party could enter the next election cycle with significant momentum.