The president of the United States, Donald Trump, acknowledged that his deportation policy may have been "too harsh," and admitted that the expulsion of immigrants who had been working in the country for years politically harmed the Republicans in the legislative elections held on November 3.
In an interview granted to the program 60 Minutes by CBS News, the president distinguished between the deportations of violent criminals and those of workers with no criminal record who had built a life in the United States.
He also expressed his willingness to negotiate with Democrats for a possible immigration solution.
The statements came after the Republican Party lost control of the Senate and the House of Representatives, in an electoral setback that left the Democrats with new powers to oversee the policies of the White House.
Trump admits that deportations hurt Republicans
During the conversation with journalist Ross Douthat, Trump acknowledged that his immigration policy had had contradictory consequences for his party.
When asked if the offensive against immigration had harmed Republicans in the elections, the president replied: “I think it helped and hurt.”
Trump defended the results of his administration in terms of border security. He asserted that he deserved an outstanding rating for having closed the border and that citizens viewed the expulsion of criminals positively.
However, he admitted that his government had also deported immigrants who had good jobs and whose only offense was entering the United States illegally.
The president explained that part of the population believes that these individuals should be expelled, while another segment defends their right to stay in the country when they work in hotels, landscaping companies, or other sectors, and in some cases, pay taxes.
Douthat directly asked him if he thought his deportation policy had gone too far.
“I think maybe it was too harsh, yes,” Trump replied.
The president acknowledged that opinions on the expulsions are divided and that the stricter measures had generated backlash among certain sectors of the electorate.
When referring to the political impact of that situation, he admitted: “Ultimately, that harmed me”.
Immigration was one of the central issues of the midterm elections. In areas of Texas with a significant Latino population, Democrats regained electoral support after the Republican gains seen in 2024.
Trump speaks about the deported hotel employees
One of the most significant moments of the interview came when Trump described the consequences of immigration raids for individuals who have been working in the United States for years.
The president cited the example of a woman who had worked for years in a hotel as a cleaning staff or waitress and was suddenly expelled from the country.
“It’s hard. It’s something very hard,” he acknowledged while describing those deportations.
Trump noted that there are sectors of the right that advocate for the expulsion of all undocumented immigrants, regardless of their personal or work circumstances.
When Douthat asked him if some of those people worked within his own administration, the leader responded: “Yes”.
The president acknowledged that within his government, there are differing positions regarding the enforcement of immigration laws. While some officials advocate for widespread expulsions, others prioritize deporting those who have committed violent crimes.
Trump specifically mentioned murderers, rapists, and drug traffickers as examples of individuals whose deportation he considers a priority.
It also raised the possibility of reaching agreements for immigrants who have been living and working in the United States for 10 or 15 years, especially in activities such as gardening, cleaning, and hotel services.
Her words reflected a distinction between adherence to immigration laws and the human consequences of expelling workers who have built a life in the United States.
Trump did not announce a suspension of deportations or a new policy to protect those workers, but he left the door open to seeking a legislative solution for certain groups of immigrants.
Trump opens the door to a immigration agreement with the Democrats
During the interview, Douthat asked the president which issue he would like to collaborate on with the new Democratic majority in Congress.
“I would love to do something regarding immigration,” Trump responded.
The president explained that he believed it was possible to negotiate a solution for undocumented workers who have been established in the United States for years, especially those who work in hotels, gardening, and other services.
When the journalist raised the possibility of creating some form of legal status for those workers, Trump responded affirmatively and reiterated the consequences of expelling individuals with a long work history in the country.
The president believed that an agreement with the Democrats was viable, although he did not present a concrete legislative proposal or specify what requirements immigrants would need to meet to benefit.
Trump also stated that Democratic representatives had already reached out to him after the elections.
When Douthat asked him if he would be able to stop insulting Democrats for six months to facilitate an agreement, he replied: "Very easily".
The leader defended that his goal was to help the country, although he acknowledged the political difficulties of negotiating with an opposition that could initiate investigations into his administration.
The willingness to negotiate, however, does not equate to a formal proposal for regularization nor does it mean that undocumented immigrants can automatically obtain legal status.
The day after the interview was broadcast, Trump dismissed any notion that his statements implied a general amnesty.
“We will not grant any amnesty or anything similar,” he stated to reporters at the White House, reiterating that any solution would have to respect legal procedures.
Stephen Miller takes over as chief of staff despite the criticisms
Trump's conciliatory statements contrast with his decision to appoint Stephen Miller, one of the main architects of mass deportations, as the new Chief of Staff of the White House.
Miller replaced Susie Wiles after the legislative elections, in a move that raised questions about the potential for a significant change in the administration's immigration policy.
CBS News itself highlighted that the appointment came about an hour after the interview and noted the contrast between Trump's willingness to negotiate with the Democrats and the rise of the main proponent of his deportation policy.
The Democratic Senate leader, Chuck Schumer, criticized the contradiction between the presidential acknowledgment of the excesses in deportations and the rise of one of its main proponents.
"Trump says that his crackdown on immigration went too far. Apparently, his solution was to place the person responsible at the head of the White House. That is not a course correction. That is a promotion," Schumer stated.
The administration has also not announced a suspension of operations by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), so Trump's words do not change the legal situation of individuals undergoing deportation proceedings on their own.
María Elvira Salazar celebrates Trump's words
The president's statements were positively received by the Cuban-American Republican congresswoman María Elvira Salazar, who believed they aligned with the approach of her legislative proposal known as the Dignity Act.
"Well done, Mr. President!" Salazar expressed in response to the interview.
The legislator advocated for the need to find a solution for immigrants with no criminal records who work and contribute to the American economy.
Her proposal includes mechanisms for temporary protection and conditional regularization for certain undocumented immigrants, without establishing an automatic pathway to citizenship.
Salazar urged Trump to promote a comprehensive immigration reform and linked his statements to the possibility of reaching an agreement between Republicans and Democrats.
For thousands of Cubans living in the United States without a definitive immigration status, the debate is particularly relevant in light of the increase in arrests and deportation proceedings.
For now, Trump's statements open up a possibility for political negotiation, but they do not represent a change in current immigration laws nor guarantee protection against deportations.
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