Trump Says Deportation Policy Targets Worst of the Worst as He Rules Out Amnesty

President Donald Trump said on November 9, 2026, that his administration’s deportation approach had not changed, rejecting amnesty while emphasizing removals of the “worst of the worst.” His remarks came at the White House, a day after he suggested enforcement had been too tough for voters.

He described the approach as “very strong.”

“We have a very strong deportation policy. There's no amnesty, no, no anything. We keep that, but we focus on the worst of the worst.”

Trump said the policy would continue to focus on removing “the worst of the worst,” including murderers. “We want to get the murderers out. We've gotten most of them out,” he said. He also said Joe Biden “allowed” 25 million people to come in, “of that, 11,888 murderers, most of whom committed more than one murder.”

What did Trump say was unchanged, and when did he say it?

At the White House on Monday, Trump said, “My policy hasn't changed,” referring to his administration’s deportation policy. He said it would remain “very strong” and continue to focus on the “worst of the worst”; he did not announce a change to the policy.

Sunday’s suggestion of a deal met a firmer answer Monday

In an interview aired November 8 on “60 Minutes,” Trump said people he described as “killers” and “drug dealers” should be deported, while raising the possibility that some others could stay. He mentioned people working at a landscaping company or hotel, and people paying taxes.

The next day, Trump rejected amnesty, while also acknowledging that some immigrants without legal authorization have jobs and pay taxes. He said the administration was “seeing what's going to happen.” He did not identify the forms of immigration relief covered by his rejection, or say whether any specific proposal was under consideration.

The Sunday remarks described a possible deal; the Monday remarks ruled out amnesty. Neither statement supplies a detailed definition of the term. Critics often apply it to pathways for people to resolve their status, while advocates argue longtime residents who have worked and raised families should have a route to legalize their status.

Mullin described talks with Democrats, but no policy negotiations

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said he had received calls from Democrats after the midterm elections and had told Trump about them. Trump encouraged him to begin working with them, Mullin said, but the two had not discussed concrete policy changes. Asked about changing policy, Mullin said, “No, we haven’t had that conversation.” Mullin called a bipartisan approach necessary for immigration reform.

The political pressure is clear in the AP Voter Poll. More than 100,000 midterm voters took part, and about 6 in 10 said immigration enforcement had gone too far. A similar share disapproved of how Immigration and Customs Enforcement was doing its job.

Arrests of immigrants surged during the first two years of Trump’s second term, including operations in large cities. Trump has also elevated Stephen Miller to White House chief of staff. Asked about immigration changes, Trump said he had not spoken with Miller about them.

Those facts frame the debate, but they do not identify a change in enforcement rules. The administration has not announced a new regularization program, and Trump did not name specific measures that would change or remain in force.

Any legal-status route for DACA recipients would require Congress

Mullin said Congress would have to act if lawmakers wanted to create a route to legal status for recipients of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA. The program gives eligible recipients temporary protection from deportation and work authorization; it does not itself provide a path to permanent legal status. Mullin’s comments marked his first public suggestion that DACA recipients could gain permanent legal status through congressional action.

The Department of Homeland Security has said DACA does not confer legal status and that recipients could be arrested and deported. Mullin’s comments described a possible legislative discussion, not an enacted protection or new application process.

No new program or application deadline has been established. Any actual change would depend on action by Congress or an announcement from DHS.