Trump says his first-term deportations were 'too tough'
Trump also suggested a possible compromise with Democrats, while noting that many in his administration hold stricter views on immigration.
President Donald Trump said his first-term deportation policies may have gone too far and had hurt his party politically, in a CBS "60 Minutes" interview recorded on Friday, Turkey's state-run news agency Anadolu Agency reported.
"It was too tough," Trump said.
"I think it might be too tough, yeah."
The interview was taped just hours before the White House announced that Stephen Miller, a longtime adviser known for his strict views on immigration, would replace Susie Wiles as chief of staff.
Trump acknowledged that many Americans think immigrants who entered the country illegally but have spent years working and building lives in the United States should be allowed to stay.
He suggested there could be room for a compromise with Democrats on immigration policy.
Speaking about immigrants who work in hotels and restaurants, Trump said it was hard to watch long-serving employees be deported after establishing careers in the country.
"It's a tough thing," he said, describing a hotel worker who had been employed there for years.
Trump said some people on the far right want everyone removed from the country, and he conceded that "there are a lot of those people" within his administration when asked about it.
He also pointed to a more moderate approach that would focus on deporting criminals, violent offenders and drug dealers, while considering arrangements for immigrants who have lived and worked in the country for 10 or 15 years.
Trump's first term ran from 2017 to 2021, when his administration pursued a series of tougher immigration measures that drew both support and sharp criticism.
