President Donald Trump said in a CBS "60 Minutes" interview that aired Sunday, Nov. 8, that his deportation policy may have been "too tough" on immigrants who have lived and worked in the U.S. for years, and that it hurt him in last week's midterm elections.
Why it matters: The comments are an unusual acknowledgment from Trump that one of his defining policies became a political liability, the Guardian reported. They came the same week he named immigration hard-liner Stephen Miller as chief of staff, and as ICE arrests continue in Bay Area cities.
What he said
Trump told correspondent Ross Douthat the crackdown "both helped and hurt" him, CBS News reported. "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," he said.
He said many Americans believe such immigrants "should be allowed to stay if they're good people working in a landscaping company, or working in a hotel." "A lot of people would say that it's great, but a lot of people think it's too tough," he said. He also said he'd "love to do something on immigration" with congressional Democrats, who take control of the House and Senate in January.
What hasn't changed
It is unclear whether the administration will change its enforcement strategy, CBS said. The interview was recorded Friday, hours before Trump announced Miller's promotion. In CBS exit polling, 58% of voters said the administration's immigration actions have gone too far.
Related: Stephen Miller replaces Susie Wiles as chief of staff and ICE arrests in the East Bay.