Mara Liasson

The administration's critics will say that it's not just about changing the policies governing use of force, that causing chaos is part of the program.

that Donald Trump wants to encourage people to self-deport.

They want them scared.

This is what you hear from his critics.

And the big question now is this rhetorical backing off somehow going to lead to a policy change.

We don't know that.

That's a big question.

And I think as long as the ICE agents and Border Patrol agents are told that they have unlimited immunity, there really is no reason to expect that the rules governing use of force are going to change.

Maybe.

I mean, that would depend on if the administration feels it's in their political interest to change them and to change the whole optics around ICE's presence in these cities.

Because we've seen public opinion polls where immigration used to be Donald Trump's best issue.

Now, majorities of people think ICE has gone too far.

They don't like the way this is being carried out.

They like the border being secure.

and undocumented immigrants with criminal records being deported, but they don't like all the chaos.

And chaos is the enemy of the party in power in a midterm election.

I'm Mara Liason, senior national political correspondent.

I'm Ashley Lopez.

I cover politics.

And I'm Mara Liason, senior national political correspondent.