Trump Says Deportation Policy May Have Been Too Tough After Midterm Losses

President Donald Trump said his deportation policy may have been too tough and expressed willingness to pursue an immigration deal with Democrats in an interview released on November 8. The interview was recorded at the White House on November 6, after Republicans lost both chambers of Congress in the November 3 midterm elections. Asked whether the immigration crackdown had hurt Republicans, Trump said it had both helped and hurt. He praised his administration’s border enforcement and removal of dangerous offenders, but said deporting people with good jobs whose violation was entering the country illegally had hurt him. “I think it might be too tough, yeah,” Trump told interviewer Ross Douthat. Trump said views differed over whether immigrants working in landscaping, hotels and other jobs, some of whom pay taxes, should be allowed to stay. When asked about a deal that would provide some form of legal status for such workers, he expressed openness to it and said he believed an agreement with Democrats was achievable. He cited hotel maids, cleaners and waitresses as examples of workers being removed. The president said some people on the far right, including within his administration, wanted everyone without legal status deported. He contrasted that position with an approach focused on removing killers, drug dealers and other dangerous people while reaching a deal for workers who had lived in the country for 10 or 15 years. Asked whether Democrats would be interested, Trump said people had already called him.