How Trump’s deportation campaign has changed tack after deep unpopularity

**SUMMARY** The Trump administration has recalibrated its mass deportation campaign's public approach following backlash over high-profile ICE killings and plummeting popularity. Kristi Noem was replaced by Markwayne Mullin as DHS secretary, and Gregory Bovino, the border patrol commander, was demoted and is retiring this week, signaling a shift in tone despite continued immigration arrests. While new leadership figures Tom Homan and Mullin remain immigration hardliners, they have adopted less confrontational tactics—including meeting with local officials, backing away from large-scale city raids, and pledging to require judicial warrants for home entries. The January killings of U.S. citizens Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti prompted Democratic congressional action and prompted Trump to acknowledge the need for "a little bit of a softer touch."