Washington DC: Following the Republican Party's setbacks in the midterm elections, US President Donald Trump admitted that his administration's deportation
policy had gone too far, saying, “I think it was too tough.” .He also expressed confidence that he could reach an immigration agreement with Democrats in the new Congress. Trump made these remarks during an interview with CBS News for its 60 Minutes programme. Trump's statement has raised questions about whether the shift in tone could offer some relief to migrants living in the country, including thousands of Indians facing the threat of deportation. The US President also acknowledged that his immigration policies had both positive and negative electoral consequences, saying the issue “both helped and hurt” him. “I think I got an A+ for closing up the border,” he told the broadcaster. “The deal would be we would work something out. And I think it's something -- I think that's something that's actually doable,” he said during the interview. Trump did not disclose any details about the proposed agreement. However, shortly after the interview was recorded on Friday, he appointed Stephen Miller, the chief architect of his administration's hard-line immigration policy, as his new chief of staff. Notably, immigration was among the key issues that helped Trump secure victory in the 2024 presidential election, with voters expressing dissatisfaction with the Biden administration's border policies. However, this year's exit polls indicate that 58 per cent of voters believe the Trump administration has gone too far with its immigration measures. In battleground states such as Texas, several Latino voters who backed Trump in 2024 shifted their support towards Democrats over concerns about his immigration crackdown. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer mocked Trump's remarks after the interview aired on Sunday, pointing out that while the President admitted his immigration crackdown had gone too far, he had appointed the very person behind the policy to lead the White House. “That's not a course correction. That's a promotion,” Schumer wrote on social media. Democrats have said that oversight of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will be a priority for the new Congress. Trump said he believes that “killers” and “drug dealers” living illegally in the US should be deported. However, he appeared open to an agreement that would allow others to remain in the country if they were contributing to society. “Now, there is a large part of the country that think that they should be put out. And there's a large part of the country that think that they should be allowed to stay if they're good people working in a landscaping company, or working in a hotel, or doing something, right? And in some cases, paying taxes,” he said.
Trump Says He May Stay On The Sidelines In 2028 Race
On the contest among Republicans to succeed him in the 2028 presidential election, Trump hinted that he might not endorse a candidate.
Asked whether he would back a potential successor, the President replied, “Probably, not necessarily.”
“We have a tremendous bench. I have so many people that I have great relationships with,” Trump said during the interview.
Indian Migrants In The US
According to estimates by the US Census Bureau, the total Indian-American population in the United States has crossed 5 million. Notably, India-born residents constitute the second-largest foreign-born population in the US, after people born in Mexico.(With inputs from the Associated Press)
