Trump says deportation stance may have hurt GOP, open to immigration talks

What he said on 60 Minutes

In his CBS interview, Trump said the administration might have pushed deportations too far, a move he suggested could have damaged GOP prospects in the midterms. He added, "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 opinion is divided. "Now, there is a large part of the country that think that they should be put out," he said. "And there's a large part of the country that think that they should be allowed to stay if they're good people working in a landscaping company, or working in a hotel, or doing something, right? And in some cases, paying taxes."

Where he sees room for a deal

Open to negotiating on immigration with Democrats, Trump noted that some people "have already" reached out to him. He also laid out one middle position: "In other words, 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 noted there is also "a group of people that I would say on the sort of pretty far right that would like everybody taken out," and said some of the hardest line voices serve in his administration.

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Staffing move points to continued hard line

It is not clear if Trump is rethinking policy more broadly. The interview was taped Friday, and within hours he said he would name Stephen Miller as his chief of staff, a figure frequently characterized as the principal architect of his hardline immigration policies.

The promotion was interpreted as a sign he is unlikely to dial back enforcement or seek compromises with Democrats.

Why it matters for your portfolio

Immigration enforcement shapes labor supply and costs, especially in agriculture, construction, hotels and restaurants. Tougher removals can tighten hiring and lift wages, while any deal that lets long time workers stay could ease staffing pressures.

The bottom line: watch how signals turn into policy. Changes to enforcement and any negotiated protections can move margins for labor intensive businesses, and that flows into earnings and valuation.

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