Key facts
- Trump told CBS News it may be "doable" to let undocumented workers in the US many years, construction workers among them, stay legally.
- The White House Rapid Response account said on X that Trump will not push for an amnesty deal with Democrats.
- Vice President JD Vance wrote that he is open to changing enforcement toward businesses that hire illegal labor, but not amnesty.
- Homebuilders say workers, including those in the country legally, were swept up in ICE job site raids in summer and fall 2026.
- The National Association of Home Builders is watching the Dignity Act, which would let certain undocumented workers remain without citizenship.
- Trump promoted Stephen Miller, described as a longtime immigration hardliner, to White House Chief of Staff.
President Donald Trump said in an interview with CBS News' 60 Minutes aired on November 8, 2026 that his administration's immigration policies "might be too tough" and may have contributed to the outcome of the November 3 election. He suggested it may be "doable" to reach an agreement letting undocumented workers who have lived in the US for many years, construction workers among them, remain legally.
"Get the killers out. Get the rapists 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," Trump said.
The administration's messaging was not uniform. The Official White House Rapid Response account posted on X on November 8 denying that Trump will push for an amnesty deal with Democrats. Vice President JD Vance wrote in a post on X after the midterms that he is open to changing enforcement, for instance by focusing more on businesses that hire illegal labor, but that "anyone pushing amnesty is lying to you." The report said Trump's promotion of Stephen Miller, described as a longtime immigration hardliner, to White House Chief of Staff suggests an agreement may be less likely than Trump implied.
Homebuilders say a surge in job site raids by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in the summer and fall of 2026 swept up their workers, including those in the country legally, and that disruptions continue. The National Association of Home Builders is watching the Dignity Act, a bipartisan measure that would allow certain undocumented workers to remain in the US without citizenship.
The report noted that Trump urged Republicans in early 2024 to vote against a Senate border package introduced by Sen. James Lankford (R-OK), and the bill failed. In June 2025 the administration briefly directed ICE to pause job site raids in agriculture, hospitality and restaurants after business leaders raised staffing concerns, then reversed course within days and later set a target of 3,000 ICE arrests per day. The report said Washington has not passed comprehensive immigration reform since 1986.