WSJ: White House reworks immigration strategy ahead of midterms

Donald Trump is recalibrating his administration’s immigration strategy, seeking to shift both messaging and enforcement away from the term “mass deportation” and toward targeting criminal offenders.

According to officials familiar with internal discussions, quoted by The Wall Street Journal, Trump has grown concerned that current deportation policies appear too aggressive and politically damaging ahead of the midterm elections. He has instructed advisers to emphasise the removal of “criminals” and reduce high-profile operations that contribute to perceptions of disorder.

The shift is being driven in part by White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and implemented operationally by border official Tom Homan, who favours focusing enforcement on arrests of offenders already in custody. As a result, large-scale raids in major cities have been scaled back, and daily arrests have declined to about 1,200 from more than 1,500.

While the White House insists enforcement priorities remain unchanged, the administration is also considering broader adjustments following the dismissal of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. Her potential successor, Markwayne Mullin, has indicated he would steer immigration enforcement toward a less confrontational approach and roll back controversial policies.

The recalibration follows polling that shows growing public concern, with a majority of voters saying deportation efforts have gone too far. However, the shift has drawn criticism from conservative immigration groups, which are pressing for a more aggressive campaign and calling for at least one million deportations in 2026.

By Tamilla Hasanova