President Donald Trump said his mass deportation policy had been « too harsh », in an interview with CBS broadcast on Sunday, a rare acknowledgement of the approach that has defined much of his immigration agenda. He did not say whether he intends to change it.
The remarks came days after Democrats won the midterm elections widely on Tuesday. Analysts and party strategists have pointed to a shift among Hispanic voters who had backed Trump and turned against him. Among their complaints were unmet promises to lower prices and a perception that immigration police were carrying out deportations indiscriminately.
The comments also came two days after Trump promoted Stephen Miller to White House chief of staff. Miller is a hardline figure who has been central to the administration's mass deportation policy, and the promotion is seen as strategically important. The juxtaposition of a tougher-sounding appointment and a softer public assessment of the policy has left observers uncertain about the direction ahead.
Vice President JD Vance has also weighed in on the defeat. In a lengthy post on X, he blamed the war with Iran for the result. Vance said he is open to changing enforcement practices and suggested that the administration could target employers who hire undocumented workers more directly, rather than focusing on broad enforcement actions.
Whether the White House will translate these signals into concrete changes to deportation operations has not been made clear. For now, the president's remarks, Miller's elevation and Vance's proposals point to an internal debate over how far the administration should adjust its immigration strategy after a difficult election for the Republican Party.
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