U.S. President Donald Trump has admitted that his administration’s deportation crackdown may have been too aggressive, saying the policy contributed to the Republican Party’s losses in the November 3 midterm elections.
In an interview with CBS News’ 60 Minutes, aired on Sunday, Trump said the immigration enforcement drive had both helped and hurt his party, particularly because it targeted undocumented immigrants who had lived and worked in the United States for years.
“I think it was too tough. I think it might be too tough, yeah,” he said.
Trump said he received strong support for securing the U.S. border and deporting criminals but faced opposition over the removal of immigrants who had jobs, paid taxes and built lives in the country.
He cited people working in hotels, landscaping companies and other businesses, arguing that some had lived in the U.S. for between 10 and 15 years.
The president said the issue had become politically divisive, with some Americans supporting the removal of all undocumented immigrants while others believed those who had established themselves in the country should be allowed to stay.
A CBS-cited exit poll found that 58 per cent of voters believed the administration’s immigration enforcement actions had gone too far.
Following the midterm elections, Democrats won control of both the Senate and House of Representatives, giving them a majority in Congress when the new session begins next year.
Trump said he was willing to work with Democratic lawmakers on an immigration agreement that could allow some undocumented immigrants who had lived and worked in the country for years to remain.
“I’d love to do something on immigration,” he said, adding that he believed an agreement was achievable.
He, however, maintained that criminals and drug dealers should still be deported.
The interview was recorded on Friday, before Trump announced that Stephen Miller, a key architect of his hardline immigration policies, would replace Susie Wiles as White House chief of staff.
The appointment drew criticism from Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, who questioned the president’s willingness to change course on immigration, given Miller’s role in shaping the deportation crackdown.
Trump did not announce any specific changes to his administration’s immigration enforcement policy during the interview.
