Trump Admits Immigration Crackdown Was 'Too Tough' After Midterm Losses

President Donald Trump admitted in a CBS News 60 Minutes interview that his administration's hardline immigration crackdown was "too tough" and hurt him politically, following Republicans' major defeat in the 2026 midterm elections. He acknowledged that deportation policies alienated voters by forcing out long-established, working immigrants. Trump defended border security and deporting criminals but said backlash stemmed from removing people with jobs in hotels, restaurants, and landscaping. He suggested openness to a bipartisan deal allowing some long-term undocumented immigrants, present for 10-15 years, to remain, while noting Democrats will control Congress in January. The admission marks a shift from his central 2024 agenda, yet he appointed Stephen Miller, a hardline immigration architect, as chief of staff, drawing criticism from Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer. Exit polls showed 58% of voters believed the crackdown went too far, with Latino voters in Texas moving back to Democrats.