Immigration · Report · File No. 261111-602
Trump says deportations 'might be too tough' but picks Miller, clouding deal
Trump says he could strike an immigration deal with the new Democratic majority, then named the architect of his hard-line policy as chief of staff. The last bipartisan border deal, led by Sen. James Lankford, died after Trump opposed it.
Every quote in this story (3) was matched word for word against its source. How we work
President Trump says he could reach an immigration agreement with the incoming Democratic majority in Congress. He gave no details, and he said his own deportation policy may have gone too far for voters. 1
Trump made the remarks in a CBS "60 Minutes" interview that aired Sunday, Nov. 8. It was his first major interview since his party lost control of the House and Senate in the midterms. 1
What Trump said
Asked about his deportation policy, Trump said it was part of the reason Republicans lost. 1 He drew a line between groups of people. He said killers and drug dealers in the country illegally should be deported, but he was open to letting others stay if they were good people working in a landscaping company. 1
I think it might be too tough, yeah.
Shortly after the interview was taped, Trump named Stephen Miller as his chief of staff. Miller is the architect of Trump's hard-line immigration agenda. 1
From Channel GOPTrump dodges rigged-election question, calls Massie loserDonald Trump · 525 plays · captioned, with the source named
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer of New York answered that move directly. 1
That's not a course correction. That's a promotion.
The last bipartisan try
Sen. James Lankford, an Oklahoma Republican, has been through this before. In early 2024 he was the lead Republican negotiator on a border security compromise with Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut and independent Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona. 2
Three people familiar with the talks told CBS News the plan would let the executive branch pause asylum processing during spikes in crossings. It would also raise the standard for accepting asylum seekers and expand expedited deportation authority. 2
Trump, then the front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination, said there was "zero chance" he would support the bill. 2 Lankford argued at the time that the bill would hand a president powers Trump had wanted. 2
So if he were to be president, this would be new authorities that he had actually asked for when he was president before.
The Hill reported that Lankford is again expected to be a key player in bipartisan immigration talks in the next Congress. We could not load that report, so we cannot confirm his remarks. What we can confirm is the history above. 2
What happens next
Trump has offered no bill text, no list of provisions and no timeline for talks. 1 Democrats say oversight of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Department of Homeland Security is a priority for the new Congress. 1
The report also notes that U.S. citizens Renee Good and Alex Pretti were killed by federal officers during protests against the immigration operations. 1
That matters because a bipartisan bill needs Trump's signature, and he has already shown he can sink one. The pattern is that a softer tone from the president has not yet come with a concrete offer. Democrats will likely judge him on what he proposes, not on what he says in an interview.
The Record
- Sen. James Lankford said on 'Face the Nation' that he felt positive about the bipartisan border deal, a day after Trump said there was 'zero chance' he would support it 2.
- Trump's CBS '60 Minutes' interview aired, with him saying his deportation policy 'might be too tough' 1.
- PBS NewsHour, citing AP, reported that Trump named Stephen Miller chief of staff soon after taping the interview 1.
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Sources
- PBS NewsHour (AP), “Trump says his deportation policy 'might have been too tough' for midterm voters” (2026-11-09). pbs.org/newshour/politics/trump-says-his-deportation-policy-
- CBS News, “Lankford 'very positive' about prospects of Senate immigration deal despite Trump's opposition” (2024-01-28). cbsnews.com/amp/miami/news/senate-immigration-deal-james-lan
Found an error? Tell the newsroom. Corrections are noted at the top of the story.
More from the files
Trump tells CBS his deportation policy 'might be too tough' after midterm losses
In a 60 Minutes interview, the president said the crackdown 'both helped and hurt' him. Days earlier he put Stephen Miller, the policy's architect, in charge of his White House staff.
Trump names Stephen Miller chief of staff, moving Susie Wiles to his political operation
Three days after Democrats won the House and Senate, President Trump promoted his hardline immigration adviser to run the White House staff. The move comes as incoming Democrats vow to investigate immigration policy.
Democrats seek immigration deal before January, but offer no ICE overhaul plan
Democrats in the House and Senate urged action on Dreamers and a broader bipartisan bill after voters pushed back on Trump's raids. They gave no details on changing or abolishing ICE, the agency that carries out deportations.
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