In a revealing interview marking his 100th day back in office, President Donald Trump addressed mounting concerns over his administration’s immigration policies—concerns that now include voices from within his own circle of supporters. Among them is podcast host Joe Rogan, whose wide-reaching platform and influence with conservative listeners have made him an unexpected critic of Trump’s latest deportation tactics.
On the April 17 episode of The Joe Rogan Experience, Rogan voiced deep reservations about what he called the “rounding up [of] gang members and shipping them to El Salvador with no due process.” His words carried a warning: “We gotta be careful that we don’t become monsters while we’re fighting monsters.”
Asked about this on Tuesday by ABC News anchor Terry Moran, President Trump offered an unexpected agreement. “Oh, I agree with that a hundred percent,” he said. “We want to be careful. We are careful.” The president maintained that the policy is both deliberate and legal, aiming squarely at individuals he characterizes as criminals, particularly from Venezuela. “They’re living happily in the United States, and we’re getting ’em out… legally,” he asserted.
Despite the president’s insistence on legality, his approach has faced significant pushback from courts and human rights advocates. A high-profile example is the case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran migrant deported from Maryland to a notoriously violent prison in El Salvador—an action the U.S. Supreme Court later ruled was illegal due to an “administrative error.” The Court unanimously ordered the Biden-Trump administration to help bring Garcia back to the U.S.
Pressed on this ruling, Trump was dismissive. He accused Abrego Garcia of being a violent gang member—though no court has validated this claim. When Moran reminded Trump that even suspected criminals are entitled to due process, the president doubled down, arguing that people who enter the country illegally “get a different standard.”
“But they get due process,” Moran countered.
“Well, they get a process where we have to get ’em out, yeah,” Trump replied, signaling a narrowed interpretation of constitutional protections.
In a dramatic moment during the interview, Moran emphasized the power the president holds: “You could pick [the phone] up and… call up the president of El Salvador and say, ‘Send him back,’ right now.”
“I could,” Trump admitted. “And if he were the gentleman that you say he is, I would do that. But he’s not.”
This exchange illustrates the widening gap between Trump’s hardline immigration policies and constitutional norms. Critics argue that even undocumented migrants are protected under the Constitution, including the right to a fair hearing—a point repeatedly upheld by the courts. Trump’s apparent resistance to such rulings signals a confrontational stance toward judicial oversight, something that has defined both his previous and current terms in office.
When Moran invoked the famous presidential maxim, “The buck stops here,” Trump bristled. “I follow the law. You want me to follow the law. If I were the president that just wanted to do anything, I’d probably keep him right where he is.”
In Trump’s view, the legal and humanitarian nuances surrounding immigration are secondary to the political mandate he believes voters gave him. “I was elected to take care of a problem,” he said, pointing fingers at what he called the “unforced error” of former President Joe Biden’s immigration policies.
Photos recently released by Salvadoran officials show heavily guarded prisoners, allegedly members of Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua and MS-13 gangs, being marched into the infamous Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT) in El Salvador—a facility known internationally for its harsh conditions and mass incarcerations. These images, meant to showcase Trump’s tough stance, have also fueled concerns over human rights and the erosion of due process.
In navigating this volatile landscape, Trump faces a dual challenge: upholding the rule of law while delivering on a campaign promise to crack down on illegal immigration. Yet his critics—now including voices like Joe Rogan—warn that the administration’s methods could undermine the very democratic principles they claim to defend.
As Trump presses forward with his aggressive deportation agenda, the tension between security and justice remains unresolved. The coming months will likely test not only the boundaries of executive power but also the nation’s commitment to its legal foundations.
What do you think about the balance between border security and due process rights?
