Another prominent supporter of the MAGA movement is breaking ranks with President Donald Trump over what critics describe as cruel and inhumane immigration policies.
Joe Rogan, a major media ally of Trump during the 2024 presidential campaign, now says he is shocked by the intensity of the immigration crackdown under the president’s second term.
In a recent episode of his popular podcast, the influential host sharply criticized recent Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids, describing them as brutal, dehumanizing, and far removed from Trump’s campaign promises.
“Honestly, it’s gotten out of control,” Rogan said on air, referring to sweeping operations by federal agents in everyday places like Home Depot parking lots and construction sites. “Nobody voted for this,” he added, claiming that voters had been misled about the true nature of Trump’s immigration agenda, according to The Latin Times.
Aggressive ICE operations have surged in recent months, particularly in California, where masked agents have reportedly carried out street arrests in broad daylight.
According to The Independent, cited by The Latin Times, arrests of undocumented individuals without criminal records have spiked by 800% since January, and ICE detention centers now hold more than 50,000 people. Other media outlets have reported even higher figures.
Far from remaining silent, Rogan has used his platform — one of the most listened-to in the world — to question the direction of Trump’s immigration policy. Though he had previously backed the former president over the Democrats, especially on issues like free speech, Rogan said he no longer recognizes the current agenda. “If you had told me they’d be sending the National Guard to arrest workers in parking lots, I would’ve had serious doubts,” he said.
This is not the first time the comedian and commentator has criticized the White House’s hardline stance. Earlier this year, he opposed the U.S. government’s collaboration with Salvadoran authorities on deportations, denouncing the use of mass incarceration facilities to manage migrant flows.
Rogan’s remarks reflect a growing rift between certain conservative figures and Trump’s ultra-repressive immigration agenda.
While many on the right supported a tougher stance on immigration, the current methods appear to be crossing a line — even for some of the MAGA movement’s staunchest allies.
