When asked about the Amritsar Massacre, General Dyer essentially said that it was necessary to send the message that the British were in charge. An element of racist, pro-imperialist public opinion supported him, but most of the nation was appalled. It was another step towards independence for India.
In the same vein, MAGA supports brutal behavior by ICE, but America as a whole finds it sickening. Trump will have to listen to that voice as long as we remain a liberal democracy. How long will that last? TBD.