Trump Makes Fresh Immigration Move, Admits Policy Was Too Tough
- US President Donald Trump said in a new interview that his administration's approach to immigration may have gone too far
- Trump signalled he was open to working with Democrats on an amnesty deal for migrants who had lived in the US for up to 15 years
- The president also said he was willing to accept AI regulation guardrails but drew a firm line on forgiving political enemies
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Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 9 years of experience covering global affairs.
Washington, USA - US President Donald Trump has admitted that his administration's immigration crackdown may have been excessive, saying he is open to negotiating an amnesty deal with Democrats for undocumented migrants who have been in the country for years.
Speaking in a CBS 60 Minutes interview that aired on Sunday, November 8, Trump said some voters had grown uncomfortable with how far his deportation campaign had gone, adding that he believed certain migrants should be allowed to remain.
Source: Facebook
"I think it might be too tough," Trump said, referring to his deportation drive. "There's a large part of the country that think that they should be allowed to stay if they're good people."
He acknowledged that federal agents had removed people with steady employment and no criminal record, and said the focus should be narrowed.
"Get the killers out, get all the rough ones out, get the drug dealers out — but let the people that are here, and in some cases here for 10 and 15 years, work a deal for them," he said.
Furthermore, Trump recognised a division within his own political base.
"There's a group of people that I would say on the sort of pretty far right that would like everybody taken out," he said, while noting that many others held a more measured view.
Trump's shift on AI regulation
Beyond immigration, the president suggested he was willing to find common ground with Democrats on artificial intelligence regulation, saying he was not against safety guardrails provided they did not cost the United States its global lead in the sector.
"I don't mind guardrails," Trump said. "But I don't want to put us in a deep second position. We're leading number one. And China has no guardrails."
Source: Getty Images
No forgiveness for political enemies
Despite the softer tone on policy, Trump made clear there were limits to any reconciliation. He singled out former Democratic Speaker Nancy Pelosi and former FBI director James Comey, saying he found them dishonest and harmful to the country.
"I love our country far more than I can love people and people like that," he said. When asked whether he could ever forgive them, Trump was blunt. "I probably cannot do that. Because I do hate some of my enemies and I always will."
Immigration enforcement has been a defining feature of Trump's presidency since he returned to the White House, with his administration overseeing mass deportations and a significant tightening of border security since taking office.
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White House reacts to rumours of Trump’s 'death'
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that White House confirmed that Trump is alive, after a brief social media announcement about Vice President JD Vance holding a press briefing sent parts of the internet into a frenzy.
Trump, who returned to the White House in January 2025 after winning the 2024 election, is 80 years old and the oldest person ever elected US president.
Close-up photographs circulating online appeared to show bruising on his right hand, visible swelling around his lower legs and ankles, and his visits to Walter Reed National Military Medical Centre drew attention each time.
Source: Legit.ng
