Trump says his immigration policy ‘too tough’ for voters | US Midterm Elections 2026 News
Trump Acknowledges Voter Discontent with Deportation Policy Following Midterm Losses
Published: Nov. 9, 2026
President Donald Trump has acknowledged that some aspects of his immigration policy, particularly his administration’s aggressive deportation strategy, may have alienated voters. In a recent interview, he stated that this approach contributed to the Republican Party’s poor performance in last week’s midterm elections.
During his first televised interview since the party lost control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate, Trump addressed concerns about his controversial deportation policies, which have sparked widespread protests across the country. He reflected on these issues in an interview aired Sunday on CBS’s “60 Minutes.”
“I think it might be too tough,” Trump said when discussing the backlash against his immigration measures. He expressed a willingness to collaborate with the newly Democratic-controlled Congress to forge an immigration agreement.
“The deal would be we would work something out,” Trump stated, suggesting that such negotiations could yield positive results.
His comments came shortly after he appointed Stephen Miller, known for his role in shaping Trump’s stringent immigration policies, as his new White House chief of staff, raising questions about the future direction of these policies.
In response, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer criticized the move on X, remarking, “Trump says his immigration crackdown went too far. Apparently, his solution was to put the man responsible for it in charge of the White House. That’s not a course correction. That’s a promotion.”
Throughout his campaign to regain the presidency, Trump has promised a renewed crackdown on immigration, often linking undocumented migrants to crime. His administration initiated extensive operations to detain and deport immigrants, resulting in rising arrest numbers and significant public unrest. The unrest culminated in the deaths of two U.S. citizens—Renee Good and Alex Pretti—who were killed by federal officers during protests against these operations.
As the new Congress convenes, Democrats have emphasized the need for oversight of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Department of Homeland Security. During his interview, Trump indicated that any future immigration deal would still involve the deportation of criminals, while allowing “good people” who have lived and worked in the United States and contributed to the economy to remain in the country.
