Trump Reflects on Immigration Policies in Recent Interview

President Donald Trump shared his thoughts on his immigration enforcement policies in a recent interview. Following the Democratic Party’s significant victories in the midterm elections, Trump spoke to CBS News correspondent Ross Douthat. The conversation touched upon various topics, including the Republican losses in traditional strongholds like Texas.

During the interview, Douthat questioned whether Trump’s strict immigration policies influenced the Republican setbacks. Trump responded by saying, “I think it both helped and hurt.” He highlighted his efforts to strengthen border security, stating, “I think I got an A-plus for closing up the border…I get very high marks for getting the bad ones out.”

In an extended online version of the interview, Trump mentioned, “We had 25 million people come in through Biden over a four-year period, and many of those people were from prisons, they were drug dealers, they were from mental institutions.” Yet, he acknowledged that among illegal immigrants, many were “good” people, explaining why his policies faced criticism.

Trump admitted, “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.” He noted the divide in public opinion, with some advocating for deportation and others supporting the integration of those who contribute positively to society.

When asked if his deportation policy was excessive, Trump conceded, “I think it was — too tough…I think it might be too tough, yeah,” suggesting this approach might have been a disadvantage for him.

Trump also indicated the potential for an immigration deal with the Democratic Congress, pointing out that some Democrats may collaborate with him in securing the border. He mentioned Texas Sen.-elect James Talarico as someone open to cooperation.

A Fox News voter poll from Oct. 19 to Nov. 3 showed immigration as the sole issue where Republicans had an advantage over Democrats. Over 100,000 registered voters participated in the survey.