Trump Names Miller Chief of Staff After Conceding Deportation Push May Have Cost Republicans Seats

President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that Stephen Miller will replace Susie Wiles as White House chief of staff. The decision came the same day Trump sat for an interview on CBS's "60 Minutes," where he acknowledged that his administration's aggressive deportation campaign likely contributed to the Republican losses in last week's midterm elections. Trump stated that a large portion of the public believes the enforcement efforts are "too tough." This move places the main architect of the immigration policy at the center of the executive branch, despite the President's expressed doubts about the policy's public reception.

The contradiction between the personnel choice and the President's comments highlights a tension within the administration. Trump has long favored a hardline approach to immigration, yet he has periodically expressed concern over the economic and social costs of removing residents who have no criminal record but live in the United States. Voters generally support strict border control and the removal of criminals. However, they are less supportive of deporting individuals who have worked in the country for years and raised families there.

Data from the Cato Institute and the Migration Policy Institute supports the view that the crackdown extends beyond criminal offenders. In fiscal year 2026, 73% of detainees arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement had no criminal convictions. Nearly half of those detainees also had no pending criminal charges, and only 5% had a conviction for a violent offense. The Migration Policy Institute reported in October that during the first 18 months of Trump's second term, only one-fifth of deported individuals had been convicted of a crime. Additionally, 61% of those deported had lived in the United States for more than two years, while 15% had been present for a decade or longer.

During the "60 Minutes" interview, Trump suggested a path forward that involves compromise. He noted that many voters believe the government should focus on deporting "the rough ones," such as drug dealers and rapists, while reaching a deal with others who have been in the country for 10 to 15 years. Trump described such a deal with the Democrats, who are set to take control of Congress, as "actually doable." He contrasted this with the hardline position held by Miller and other allies, who have argued for removing everyone who is in the country without authorization.

Trump has previously signaled a willingness to work with industries that rely on unauthorized labor. In June 2025, he ordered a brief pause on workplace raids. The following month, he said the administration would work with employers in agriculture and hospitality. At a rally in Des Moines, Iowa, in July 2025, Trump praised the labor of these workers. He said, "These people … work so hard," and noted that some farmers "cry when they see" raids happen. He pointed to cases where people had worked on farms for 14 or 15 years before being removed.

Trump revisited the issue of skilled workers in the recent interview. He described the difficulty of removing a woman who is doing a "great job" as a waitress or hotel cleaner. He called the situation "tough" and "a tough thing." Public opinion polls reflect this sentiment. A Pew Research Center report from April found that 52% of Americans believed the administration was doing "too much" regarding the deportation of illegal residents. A CBS News exit poll from last week showed that 58% of voters said the immigration enforcement had "gone too far."

In the interview, Trump admitted, "It might be too tough." He noted that while he receives high marks for removing those with criminal records, he also feels the pain of losing people with good jobs who entered the country illegally. The future of the policy will depend on how Trump balances his own instincts with the direction set by Miller in his new role.