President Donald Trump said Sunday that his administration's deportation campaign may have been too aggressive for voters, linking it to Republican losses in the midterm elections. In a CBS interview, he also raised the possibility of negotiating an immigration agreement with Democrats, who won control of both chambers of Congress.
The remarks came in Trump's first major interview since the election setback, according to the Post Register. Asked about the toughness of his deportation policy on CBS's "60 Minutes," Donald Trump said: "I think it might be too tough, yeah." Originally reported by Post Register.
Trump opens door to an immigration deal
Trump said he believed an agreement with the incoming Democratic majority was achievable. He drew a distinction between people he wants removed for serious crimes and other immigrants living in the country illegally who hold jobs and, in some cases, pay taxes.
He maintained that people he described as killers and drug dealers should be deported. But he signaled that he could consider allowing others to remain, citing employees at landscaping businesses and hotels as examples.
Miller appointment draws Democratic criticism
The interview was recorded Friday, shortly before Trump selected Stephen Miller as his new chief of staff. Miller was a central architect of the administration's hard-line immigration policies.
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer criticized the appointment on social media Sunday after the interview aired. He argued that elevating the official responsible for the crackdown amounted to rewarding that approach rather than changing direction.
The deportation campaign has been a defining part of Trump's return to the presidency. Large enforcement operations across several cities drove a sharp increase in arrests.
Federal officers killed two U.S. citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, during protests against those operations. Democrats have identified scrutiny of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Department of Homeland Security as a priority for the new Congress.
Originally reported by Post Register.