CNN’s chief data reporter said a sharp rise in public approval for President Donald Trump’s immigration policies emboldened his decision to send 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles amid violent protests over immigration enforcement.

During a Monday segment on CNN News Central, data analyst Harry Enten explained that Trump’s net approval on immigration has experienced a dramatic shift since his first term — it has moved from negative 21% in 2017 to plus-1% today, according to aggregate polling.

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“This is Trump’s net approval rating on immigration,” Enten told host John Berman. “It’s gone up like a rocket now versus eight years ago during Trump’s first term.”

Enten said the public’s support for Trump’s immigration strategy, especially among voters in areas directly affected by border policy and federal enforcement operations, is giving the president confidence to act decisively, even if it triggers clashes with Democratic state leaders.

“Trump is begging for a fight on this because he knows what he’s doing so far is working with the American electorate,” Enten said. “It’s not just on the broad issue of immigration where Trump is doing well — it’s on the specifics.”

A new CBS News poll backs up Enten’s analysis. According to the survey, 54% of the public supports Trump’s recent mass deportation orders, and 51% support Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s operations within local communities. These numbers mark a significant uptick from similar polling during Trump’s first presidency.

Enten cited an Ipsos poll that found Republicans enjoy a 19-point advantage over Democrats on the issue of immigration.

“Americans believe that Democrats just don’t have a clue on immigration,” Enten said, noting the GOP’s credibility on the issue has grown substantially since 2024.

Trump deployed National Guard troops to Los Angeles over the weekend after ICE agents arrested numerous illegal immigrants, many of them with serious criminal records, including assault with a deadly weapon, grand theft, and attempted rape.

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The arrests triggered large-scale protests and violent clashes in parts of the city, with rioters setting vehicles on fire, launching fireworks and Molotov cocktails, and vandalizing buildings with anti-ICE slogans, including “KILL ICE.”

In response, Trump authorized the deployment of 2,000 National Guard members — a move Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) condemned as “manufacturing a crisis.” Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass also blasted the action as an abuse of federal power.