Trump Admits Immigration Crackdown Was ‘Too Tough’ After Midterm Setback

US President Donald Trump has acknowledged that his aggressive immigration crackdown may have been too harsh and contributed to the Republican Party’s defeat in the 2026 US midterm elections. He also expressed interest in working with Democrats in the next Congress after the party secured majorities in both chambers.

Trump made the admission during an interview with CBS News’ Ross Douthat on Sunday, when asked whether his immigration policies had cost Republicans the midterms.

“I think it both helped and hurt,” Trump said, claiming he deserved an “A plus” for securing the US border and removing criminals. However, he acknowledged that the deportation drive had also affected people with jobs and established lives in the country.

He said Americans were divided over whether undocumented immigrants working in landscaping companies and hotels, and sometimes paying taxes, should be deported or allowed to stay.

Trump described his immigration approach as “too tough”, suggesting the crackdown had political consequences. Republicans suffered a major setback on November 3, as Democrats won majorities in the US Senate and House of Representatives.

However, his decision to appoint immigration hardliner Stephen Miller as White House chief of staff, replacing Susie Wiles, has raised questions about a possible policy shift.

Republican Senator Thom Tillis criticised the appointment, calling it “a colossal mistake” just days after the party's electoral defeat. He told CNN that Trump needed to rethink the decision.

Public support for Trump's immigration policies has also declined. An Associated Press-NORC Centre for Public Affairs Research survey in July found that 39 per cent of Americans approved of the administration's handling of immigration, down 10 percentage points from the beginning of his second term.

Opposition to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) intensified following the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis earlier this year, triggering nationwide protests and criticism of federal enforcement operations.

Republican Senator John Cornyn had also warned against deporting people who had lived in the US without incident for 15 to 20 years, describing it as a divisive issue.

Cornyn lost the Republican primary to Trump-backed Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who was subsequently defeated by Democrat James Talarico.

Talarico, now senator-elect, criticised ICE during his campaign, calling its recent operations a “secret police force” while acknowledging that the country needed immigration enforcement. His victory marked Texas turning Democratic for the first time in three decades, highlighting the political challenges facing Trump and his party.