Trump Admits Deportation Policies Were “Too Tough,” Says They Hurt Him Politically

By Staff, Agencies

US President Donald Trump has acknowledged that his hardline immigration and deportation policies during his first term may have gone too far, conceding that the approach ultimately damaged his political standing and contributed to Republican setbacks in the midterm elections.

In an interview with CBS News’ 60 Minutes, Trump admitted that his administration’s aggressive immigration crackdown had been excessively strict and negatively affected him politically.

“It was too tough. I think it might be too tough, yeah,” Trump said, adding, “Ultimately, that hurt me.”

The interview was recorded on Friday, just hours before the announcement that Stephen Miller, a longtime Trump adviser known for his hardline immigration positions, would replace Susie Wiles as White House chief of staff.

Trump also acknowledged growing public support for allowing certain undocumented immigrants to remain in the United States, particularly those who have spent years working, supporting their families, and establishing lives in the country.

His remarks suggested that the administration could be open to reaching a compromise with Democrats over immigration policy.

Referring to immigrants employed in hotels, restaurants and other industries, Trump said it was difficult to see longtime workers being removed from the country despite their years of service and established livelihoods.

“When you go into a hotel and you have a woman that’s worked there as a, you know, as a maid, as a cleaner, as a this, as a that, as a waitress, a lot of good things, great jobs, and all of a sudden they’re being taken out of the country, it’s tough. It’s a tough thing,” he said.

Trump nevertheless acknowledged that some members of the political right favor a much stricter immigration approach, with demands for the removal of all undocumented immigrants.

“But there’s a group of people that I would say on the sort of pretty far right that would like everybody taken out,” he stated.

Asked whether such views were also represented within his administration, Trump acknowledged that “there are a lot of those people.”

However, he also outlined what appeared to be a more moderate approach, suggesting that immigration enforcement should primarily target criminals, violent offenders, and drug dealers.

At the same time, he indicated that immigrants who have lived and worked in the United States for 10 or 15 years could be considered under alternative arrangements that would allow them to remain in the country.

Trump’s comments highlight the political tensions within his administration over immigration enforcement, as the president faces pressure to balance his longstanding deportation agenda with concerns about its economic, social, and electoral consequences.