Pissing off both sides in the name of winning them over

While I welcome this decision by the Biden Administration to allow the undocumented spouses of U.S. citizens legal status (gift link!), the Administration just seems to be trying to "balance out" the harsh immigration rules they announced two weeks ago. This "balancing out" strategy is often used by Democratic Presidents. The idea is that he can cater to the independents and moderates who are concerned about "illegals" with his harsh policy, and then when liberals get outraged, mollify them with a more pro-immigrant policy. But does that work?

I think it never does. The Administration seems to think it can win over one group with the harsh policy, and then win back his supporters who are upset by that with the second policy. But that assumes both groups stop paying attention as soon as they are bought off by a policy they like. What seems to happen instead is whatever groups that might like the harsh crackdown against immigrants will see the pro-immigrant announcement later and conclude that Biden is not really committed to the racist anti-immigrant policies they prefer. And while liberals like me might welcome Biden's relief for spouses of U.S. citizens, I have not forgotten the asylum restrictions that are going to affect a whole lot more people.

Rather than tossing a bone to both sides and making everyone more likely to support Biden, this balancing gambit seems much more likely to just piss off everyone. Has there ever been an example where something like this worked? Why do Democrats keep trying it?