Trump Admits Deportation Crackdown Went ‘Too Far’

U.S. President Donald Trump has admitted that his administration's aggressive immigration crackdown may have gone too far and contributed to Republican losses in the November midterm elections.

In an interview with CBS's 60 Minutes aired on Sunday, Trump acknowledged that the deportation campaign had hurt him politically, particularly because immigration officers also targeted migrants who had established jobs in the United States.

“I think it was too tough. And I think ultimately, that hurt me,” Trump said.

The president maintained that his administration was right to strengthen border security and remove immigrants he described as criminals, but acknowledged that the wider enforcement operation had generated a backlash.

Trump said he believed voters approved of his efforts to secure the border and deport people he considered dangerous, but were less supportive when immigrants with legitimate jobs were also removed.

He cited migrants working as hotel cleaners, waitresses and landscapers, saying their deportation had been difficult for some people to accept.

“I think I got an A+ 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,” he said.

Trump's comments come after Republicans suffered losses across the country in the midterm elections, with the president identifying immigration enforcement as one of the factors that affected the party's performance.

The remarks also come as Trump has elevated Stephen Miller, one of the key architects of his administration's immigration policies, to replace former Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, according to the report.

Despite acknowledging the political cost of the deportation campaign, Trump defended his administration's broader approach to immigration enforcement.

He also expressed willingness to negotiate with Democrats on a possible immigration agreement, suggesting that the two sides could work out arrangements that would create pathways for some immigrants to remain in the country.

“I'd love to do something on immigration,” Trump said, describing a possible agreement with Democrats as achievable.

His comments signal an openness to negotiations on immigration policy following the midterm elections, even as he continues to defend his administration's border security measures.