Trump says his immigration policy ‘too tough’ for voters

What the report says

US President Donald Trump has acknowledged in a televised interview that his immigration approach may have been too severe for some voters, after his Republican Party lost control of both chambers of Congress in the midterm elections. Al Jazeera reports that Trump said his administration’s deportation campaign, which triggered widespread protests, may have hurt the party’s performance.

In the CBS 60 Minutes interview, which aired on Sunday, Trump said he believed an immigration agreement with Democrats might be possible in the new Congress. He suggested such a deal could still target people he described as criminals while allowing some long-term residents who work and pay taxes to remain. The interview was his first on television since the election defeat.

The report says the comments came as Trump moved to install Stephen Miller, a key architect of his hardline immigration policy, as White House chief of staff, raising questions about whether the administration will soften or intensify its stance. Democratic leaders have signaled that oversight of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Department of Homeland Security will be a priority.

Al Jazeera also noted that the crackdown included large-scale detentions in several US cities and contributed to a polarized political debate over immigration enforcement and federal power.