Trump says immigration crackdown was ‘too tough’ and played part in midterms defeat

Former US President Donald Trump has admitted that his immigration crackdown policies were "too tough," marking a significant shift from a key element of his political platform, following his party's substantial losses in the recent midterm elections. In an interview with CBS' 60 Minutes program, Trump expressed his belief that he deserved an "A plus" grade for his efforts to reduce illegal border crossings, but lamented how these aggressive deportations had politically harmed him. His comments came despite his Homeland Security Department denying any retreat from the crackdown.

Polls conducted ahead of the elections revealed that immigration was the third most pressing issue for midterm voters, trailing behind the economy and the state of democracy. In traditionally conservative states like Texas, a significant shift in voter preferences towards the Democratic Party, particularly among Latino voters, played a crucial role in the Democrats' sweeping victory in Congress.

During the interview, which aired on Sunday evening, Trump stated that immigration had a dual impact on his fellow Republicans: it both benefited and harmed their electoral prospects.

Trump attributed part of his party's electoral defeat to the intensity of his immigration enforcement measures. "I think I got an A plus for closing up the border," he said, acknowledging his success in limiting illegal crossings. However, he added that his strategy for removing illegal immigrants from the country was less effective.

"For getting people out, I get very high marks for getting the bad ones out," he stated. He did not elaborate on which immigrants he considered "bad." ICE sources confirmed to CBS that his administration had recently raised the daily arrest target for illegal immigrants to around 2,700, up from a previous 2,000 daily target.