Trump Admits Deportation Crackdown Was Too Tough
President Donald Trump said on Sunday his strict deportation policies may have been "too tough" and hurt the Republican Party in the recent midterm elections. The president is now pressing Democrats to join him in a bipartisan deal that could offer legal status to illegal immigrants with "good jobs." This shift comes after he noted that removing workers from the hospitality and service sectors created political pain for his party.
Trump stood by his border security efforts during a CBS 60 Minutes interview but acknowledged the need for a compromise on workers who have been here for years. He believes the current approach removed too many people who were simply breaking one law by crossing the border illegally. The White House has so far deported around 1 million people, yet Trump says the public disagrees with removing those without criminal records.
During the interview, Trump suggested that "some kind of legal status" could be afforded to workers in blue-collar service sectors who have stable jobs. He pointed to incoming freshmen Democrats like Sens.-elect James Talarico and Annie Andrews as people who might be interested in such a deal. The president first floated the idea of an immigration deal on election night, November 3, during a separate interview with Politico.
Polling ahead of the midterms indicated that Trump's deportation moves were unpopular with the majority of the public. According to reports, a "group of people on the pretty far-right that would like everybody taken out," exists, yet he contends that a "large part" of the nation holds a different opinion. He stated that many people think those working in landscaping or hotels should be allowed to stay if they are good people.
Trump told CBS News' Ross Douthat that he thinks a deal with Democrats on this issue is "something that's actually doable." He emphasized that while he gets high marks for closing the border, he gets hurt by removing people who had good jobs and committed only one violation. He said, "I think I got an A-plus for closing up the border. I get very high marks for getting the bad ones out."
The president made it clear that his priority remains removing dangerous criminals from the country before making any deals for others. He stated, "Get the killers out. Get the, get the rapists out. Get all the rough ones out. Get the drug dealers out." He insists that these individuals must leave regardless of any broader immigration reform talks.
But he added, "But let the people that are here, and in some cases here for 10 and 15 years, work a deal for them, OK?" This distinction separates those who pose a threat from those who contribute to the economy through stable employment. Trump holds the view that a "large part" of the country supports allowing individuals employed in hotels or performing correct duties to remain.
The Washington Examiner stated that Trump thinks members within the Democratic Party would be keen on such an agreement. The Daily Signal observed that although Trump avoided using the term amnesty, he stated that many undocumented immigrants with steady jobs and tax records should be permitted to stay. The president sees two schools of thought on deportations and wants to find a middle ground that keeps the bad ones out while protecting good workers.