Trump Says Deportation Policy Was Too Tough and Floats Immigration Deal With Democrats

The update

President Donald Trump told CBS’s 60 Minutes on Sunday that his deportation policy was “too tough” and that he could strike an immigration deal with Democrats. In his first major interview since Republicans lost control of the House and Senate in the midterm elections, Trump said the policy had “both helped and hurt” and may have cost his party. He said a deal was “doable” that could let undocumented residents in the country for 10 or 15 years stay, while continuing to remove people convicted of serious crimes. He gave no details. The remarks sit alongside the elevation of Stephen Miller, the crackdown’s architect, to White House chief of staff.

Today's top briefs

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Why it matters

The admission is an unusual concession that a defining policy of Trump’s second administration became a political liability. The Guardian reports that sweeping immigration raids have ensnared people with no criminal records and separated families. Any deal must pass a Democratic-controlled Congress, and Miller’s promotion suggests hardline influence remains strong even as Trump talks of compromise.

What to watch

Watch whether Democrats engage, whether a concrete proposal emerges in the new Congress, and whether enforcement on the ground changes. Miller’s role will show whether the softer language is matched by policy.

Sources

• theguardian.com — confirms the “too tough” remarks, the 10-to-15-year proposal and Miller’s elevation
• dw.com — confirms Trump linked the policy to the midterm losses and called a deal doable

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