US President Donald Trump Calls Deportation Drive Too Tough Following Midterm Setback

United States President Donald Trump stated that his administration's mass deportation campaign may have been too severe for voters, following a defeat for the Republican Party in the midterm elections. In an interview broadcast on CBS's 60 Minutes program on Sunday, the president admitted that the aggressive crackdown on undocumented immigrants had hurt him politically.

During the interview, Trump noted that while closed borders and the removal of individuals with criminal records garnered support, the broader operations also ensnared workers who had established lives in the country. He proposed negotiating an immigration agreement with Democrats to allow long-term undocumented residents of 10 or 15 years to remain, provided they were working, while continuing the removal of serious offenders such as killers, rapists and drug dealers. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer responded on X, pointing out that Trump's appointment of Stephen Miller as White House chief of staff followed the president's remarks on the policy.

Since Trump returned to office, Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids across workplaces, homes and public spaces have targeted individuals without criminal records, separated families and generated widespread protests. Federal agents fatally shot two US citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, during operations in Minneapolis earlier in the year.

In addition to immigration, Trump attributed the Republicans' midterm defeats to the war with Iran and higher petrol prices, echoing an assessment by Vice-President JD Vance. He defended the military campaign against Iran as a necessary measure to prevent the country from obtaining a nuclear weapon, stating that the decision was justified despite its short-term unpopularity.