President Donald Trump admits his administration’s deportation policy was “too tough,” saying sending away good workers hurt Republicans in the midterms.
The President of the United States, Donald Trump, has openly admitted that his administration’s strict mass deportation policy regarding illegal immigrants was overly harsh and ultimately damaged the Republican Party politically.
The American leader made the frank admission during a post-election television interview, acknowledging that taking away hardworking people who contributed to local communities made the policy too severe for many citizens.
The major statement was made during a sit-down interview with journalist Ross Douthat on the CBS News program 60 Minutes, recorded following the recent midterm elections, where the Republican Party suffered noticeable defeats.
Reflecting on how his government’s aggressive border and deportation actions impacted voters across various states, the president explained that while his administration succeeded in stopping illegal border crossings, removing everyday workers created widespread public concern.
Explaining how the immigration crackdown produced mixed results among voters during the elections, President Donald Trump stated:
“I think it both helped and hurt. I think I got an A plus for closing up the border. I get very high marks for getting the bad ones out. But I get hurt because we also took people that had good jobs… that they came into the country illegally.”
When asked directly by the interviewer whether his strict deportation enforcement went too far and proved too harsh for the country, President Trump admitted:
“I think it was too tough. It was too tough. I think it might be too tough, yeah.”
The president went on to paint a clear picture of the human and economic impact when longtime workers who do honest labor get swept up in large-scale raids, noting:
“When you go into a hotel and you have a woman that’s worked there as a maid, as a cleaner, as a this, as a that, as a waitress, a lot of good things, great job, and all of a sudden they’re being taken out of the country, it’s tough, it’s a tough thing.”
However, President Trump maintained that dangerous criminals, gang members, and drug dealers must continue to be arrested and sent out of the country without compromise.
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At the same time, he expressed willingness to work with political opponents in Congress to build a practical legal agreement for honest, long-term residents who have lived in America for many years.
Calling for a balanced arrangement to help hardworking people who contribute to the economy, President Trump added:
“Get the killers out, get all the rough ones out, get the drug dealers out, but let the people that are here and in some cases here for 10 and 15 years work a deal for them.”
When questioned on whether opposition leaders would agree to negotiate such a deal, President Trump expressed optimism, stating:
“I think so, yeah. People have already called me.”
The president’s statements have reignited intense debates across Washington regarding future immigration laws and potential bipartisan policy changes in Congress.
Jennifer Baba is a journalist, international news correspondent, and writer at Moderncrux, where she covers artificial intelligence, fintech, emerging technologies, global politics, and international affairs. Based in Nigeria, she is passionate about transforming complex global developments into clear, engaging stories that inform and inspire readers.
