Trump Says Immigration Crackdown Was ‘Too Tough’ After Midterm Losses

In an interview with CBS’s 60 Minutes that aired Sunday evening, President Donald Trump said his administration’s immigration enforcement had been “too tough” and acknowledged the political fallout after Republicans suffered heavy midterm losses. He defended his border security record but conceded that large-scale deportations had “hurt” GOP candidates at the polls. “I think it was too tough,” Trump said. He argued that he had received strong marks for securing the border and removing dangerous criminals, but said the administration paid a political price for deporting people with steady jobs whose only offense was an immigration violation. According to exit polls, immigration was the third most important issue for voters, behind the economy and the condition of democracy. In traditionally conservative areas such as Texas, a shift among Latino voters toward Democrats helped the party make congressional gains. The administration has sent conflicting signals. Vice President JD Vance indicated openness to revising enforcement approaches, including more attention to businesses that hire undocumented workers. At the same time, Trump recently named immigration hardliner Stephen Miller as White House chief of staff. Immigration and Customs Enforcement sources said arrest targets have recently been raised to about 2,700 per day, up from an earlier goal of 2,000. The Department of Homeland Security says enforcement operations will continue without slowing down.