Washington DC [US], November 9 : US President Donald Trump has acknowledged that his administration's hardline immigration policies may have contributed to the Republican Party's setbacks in the November 3 midterm elections, admitting that the deportation drive targeting undocumented immigrants, including those with long-established jobs and lives in the country, may have been "too tough".
In an interview with CBS News' '60 Minutes', Trump said his immigration crackdown had both helped and hurt the Republican Party electorally, claiming that while his administration received strong support for securing the US-Mexico border and removing individuals with criminal records, its broader enforcement approach had alienated some voters.
"I think it was too tough. A lot of people would say that it's great, but a lot of people think it's too tough," Trump said, reflecting on the impact of his administration's immigration policies following the Republican electoral setbacks.
The President maintained that he had received an "A+" for closing the border and "very high marks for getting the bad ones out". However, he acknowledged that the administration's deportation measures had also affected undocumented immigrants who had been living and working in the US for several years.
"But I get hurt because we also took people that had good jobs, that created one violation, or breaking of the law, and that was that they came into the country illegally," he said.
Trump highlighted the divisions among Americans over whether undocumented immigrants who have spent a decade or more in the country, maintained employment and, in some cases, paid taxes should be deported or allowed to remain.
"Now, there is a large part of the country that thinks that they should be put out. And there's a large part of the country that think that they should be allowed to stay if they're good people working in a landscaping company, or working in a hotel, or doing something, right? And in some cases, paying taxes," he added.
According to CBS News, the remarks came three days after Republicans suffered significant electoral setbacks, with Democratic candidates making gains in South Texas and other heavily Latino areas that had shifted towards the Republican Party in the 2024 presidential election. Trump's immigration crackdown was among the issues voters associated with the reversal.
Looking ahead, Trump expressed willingness to explore bipartisan cooperation with Democrats, who are set to control both chambers of Congress starting in January.
"I'd love to do something on immigration," he said, indicating an interest in reaching an agreement with Democratic lawmakers.
However, it remains unclear whether the administration plans to modify its immigration enforcement strategy.
The remarks also come amid a significant White House personnel change, with Trump replacing Chief of Staff Susie Wiles with Stephen Miller, widely regarded as one of the architects of the administration's hardline immigration policies.
Miller subsequently reaffirmed his allegiance to Trump during an address at Mar-a-Lago, pledging "absolute loyalty" and "total devotion" to the President.
Trump's 2024 presidential victory was partly driven by voter dissatisfaction with former President Joe Biden's immigration policies, including increased unauthorised crossings along the US-Mexico border.