At the same time, the Trump administration has directed immigration officers to pause arrests at farms, restaurants and hotels, after Trump expressed alarm about the impact aggressive enforcement is having on those industries, according to a U.S. official familiar with the matter who spoke only on condition of anonymity.

U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday said the United States must expand efforts to deport people who are illegally in the country, including in cities such as Los Angeles, which has seen protests in opposition to immigration raids.

The president claimed, without giving evidence, that the protesters were “paid” agitators, that the Los Angeles police asked for the National Guard, and that swaths of the city were under gang control.

They are trying to strike a careful balance on issues where Republicans have held a political advantage in recent years.