The News
President Donald Trump’s flirtation with a bipartisan immigration deal is running into a wall of skepticism in Washington.
For one, Democrats scoffed at Trump’s decision to promote Stephen Miller, the architect of his hardline immigration policies, to chief of staff following the departure of Susie Wiles. There’s little indication that Miller has softened on immigration whatsoever.
And while Trump acknowledged in a CBS interview that his deportation policy might “be too tough” and said a bipartisan deal could be “doable,” many in the White House agree there’s simply far too much daylight between Trump and newly-empowered Democrats.
There’s “too big a margin” between the two sides “for it not to be a crazy bill,” one administration official told Semafor.“The Dems are going to overreach almost immediately, there will be no amnesty,” the official added.
Still, Trump on Monday suggested that Miller would look to work with Democrats, while quickly drawing a clear line on what an immigration deal could include: “We’re not going to have amnesty or anything,” Trump said.
White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers said in a statement that Trump’s “strong immigration policy remains unchanged.”
“The administration will continue removing the worst of the worst from our country,” Rogers said, blaming former President Joe Biden’s administration for creating an immigration crisis.
