Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) is once again leveling heated accusations at President Donald Trump, this time asserting that his crackdown on illegal immigration is steering the country toward “civil war.” The remark came during her visit to the Metropolitan Detention Center and the Department of Homeland Security Field Office in Los Angeles on Monday, accompanied by fellow Democrats Brad Sherman, Judy Chu, and Jimmy Gomez.

Waters, who will turn 87 this week, addressed reporters after touring the facilities, insisting that Americans should “watch this very closely” and “focus cameras on everything” the Trump administration is doing. She claimed the president’s policies represent not just enforcement of immigration law, but a path toward national conflict.

This is not the first time Waters has used such language. Back in March, she warned she was “worried that Trump is on the edge of creating a civil war,” alleging he had alluded to the possibility if he were not re-elected.

Her latest comments stand in sharp contrast to the facts on the ground. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) recently reported that July marked the lowest month for illegal border crossings in agency history — for the second month in a row. Zero parole releases were recorded in July, compared to more than 12,000 in the same month last year under Joe Biden. Total encounters nationwide were just 24,628, a drastic drop from nearly 60,000 in July 2024.

Border Patrol apprehensions have also plummeted. In July 2025, there were only 6,177 apprehensions nationwide, compared to more than 59,000 the previous July. The southwest border alone saw a 24 percent drop from June’s record low to just 4,601 apprehensions. On July 20, CBP recorded the lowest single-day apprehension count in its history — just 116 people.

These results stem from Trump’s campaign promise to secure the border, a pledge that played a major role in his 2024 election victory. Since returning to office, he has worked closely with state governments and the Department of Homeland Security to not only halt illegal entries but also to deport criminal aliens. Facilities like the controversial “Alligator Alcatraz” detention site in the Florida Everglades have been enlisted to help house and process offenders.

While Trump’s supporters point to these numbers as proof his policies are working, Waters and other Democrats have framed the crackdown as extreme and dangerous. Critics argue that this kind of rhetoric — equating law enforcement with civil conflict — inflames tensions rather than addressing policy disagreements.

The political divide on immigration has grown sharper under Trump’s second term. Republicans in Congress have largely applauded the administration’s success at the border, crediting it with restoring sovereignty and protecting communities. Democrats, especially those in progressive strongholds like California, have accused the administration of cruelty and overreach.

For Waters, the border debate appears to be less about the statistics and more about the symbolism of Trump’s approach — one she portrays as divisive and authoritarian. But given the overwhelming public support for securing the border in recent polling, her warnings may be seen by many voters as overblown.

Still, her comments ensure that immigration will remain a flashpoint issue in the months ahead, with Trump framing it as a story of restored order and Democrats casting it as an assault on immigrant rights. Whether Waters’ “civil war” prediction gains traction or backfires politically will likely depend on whether voters see the president’s enforcement record as a danger — or as the fulfillment of a long-promised commitment to protect the nation’s borders.