Trump admits hardline immigration policies 'too tough' after midterm losses
What's the story
United States President Donald Trump has admitted that his hardline immigration policies were "too tough," a stark departure from his previous stance. In an interview with CBS' 60 Minutes, Trump said while he deserved an "A plus" for reducing illegal border crossings, he was politically "hurt" by mass deportations. "I think I got an A plus for closing up the border," he said, adding, "For getting people out, I get very high marks for getting the bad ones out.
Election fallout
Deportations affected people with good jobs, says Trump
Trump said his immigration policies "both helped and hurt" Republicans in the midterms.
He credited himself for closing the border but acknowledged that deportations affected people with good jobs who violated laws by entering illegally.
"But I get hurt because we also took people that had good jobs that created one violation, or breaking of the law, and that was that they came into the country illegally."
"I think it was too tough," the president said.
Policy backlash
No signs of change in Trump's immigration stance
Trump also said he would "love to do something on immigration" with congressional Democrats, who won majorities in both chambers of Congress.
Despite his admission, Trump's administration has shown no signs of changing its immigration stance.
"ICE is NOT backing away or slowing down," a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spokesperson told BBC.
ICEE sources told CBS that officials have been instructed to aim for approximately 2,700 illegal immigration arrests per day, up from previous target of 2,000 daily arrests.
Public sentiment
Public opinion on ICE has soured
Public opinion on ICE has soured after high-profile incidents such as the killings of protesters Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis. These events sparked nationwide protests against ICE's actions.
According to election day polls, immigration was the third most important issue for midterm voters after the economy and the state of democracy.