Kethevane Gorjestani tells France24 Republicans risk losing voters over migration

Journalist Kethevane Gorjestani said on France24 that internal tensions within the US Republican Party and disputes over migration policy could carry political risks for the party ahead of upcoming elections.

Gorjestani said migration, long considered one of the Republicans’ core strengths, may now be turning into a liability.

She highlighted remarks by Republican Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina, who criticised Kristi Noem, the homeland security secretary, and Stephen Miller, Homeland Security Advisor, as “incompetent” and said their approach was harming the party’s interests.

“They will destroy the White House and the Republican Party over the one issue that used to be our strength - migration. They will make us lose what we achieved in 2024,” Gorjestani quoted the senator as saying.

The journalist noted that Tillis’ position is shared by a number of other Republicans, although not all express it publicly. Concern is said to be particularly strong among those preparing for the midterm elections scheduled for the end of the year.

“This is very important, because many Republicans think this way, even if not everyone says it so openly. In private conversations, Republicans point out that those who are beginning re-election campaigns for the midterms clearly understand one thing: on migration — again, the key strength of the Republican Party and Donald Trump — they are now facing criticism from their own voters,” she said.

Gorjestani added that the discontent does not necessarily come from the most committed supporters of Trump’s Make America Great Again movement, but rather from broader Republican voters and independents who previously backed the party over migration and the economy.

“They are losing those voters now. This could be what pushes Republicans to speak out more loudly,” she said.

She drew a comparison with debates around the Second Amendment, noting that gun rights advocates — who had not been especially vocal in criticising the White House before — are now increasingly outspoken.

“Those who defend the right to bear arms and the Second Amendment are saying, ‘We have the right to attend demonstrations while armed,’” Gorjestani added.