The White House is no longer talking about mass deportations. This was the message conveyed to Republican lawmakers in recent days. The phrase had been at the center of Donald Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign. The Republican had promised to lead “the largest deportation campaign in history.” This promise shattered against reality.
The goals (1 million arrests per year) were unrealistic, and the means employed were quickly rejected by a large part of the population. The subject has become less popular in a country built on immigration. While the fight against illegal immigration remains politically profitable, it is not at any cost, as Americans have made clear to the Trump administration in recent months.
The message seems to have been well received by the White House. According to several sources cited by the American media Axios, the White House discreetly asked Republican lawmakers in the House of Representatives to change their discourse on immigration and to avoid highlighting the expression “mass deportations.”
The instruction was reportedly given on Tuesday by James Blair, deputy chief of staff to Donald Trump, during a closed-door working session with lawmakers gathered for their annual retreat at the Trump National Doral Miami resort.
Participants reported that James Blair encouraged parliamentarians to focus more on the expulsion of violent criminals rather than the broader idea of mass deportations of undocumented foreigners. The goal is to avoid a formula deemed politically risky as immigration remains at the heart of the national debate.
Several party officials are concerned about how Democrats will use this expression to describe the White House’s immigration policy, portraying it as too broad and indiscriminate. Some strategists internally believe that emphasizing the expulsion of violent criminals is more likely to gain public support.
Polls seem to support these concerns. A survey published in January by Politico indicates that 49% of Americans believe that Donald Trump’s deportation campaign is too aggressive.
Several recent events have complicated the political battle. The deaths of two American citizens in Minneapolis, as well as reports of nationals briefly detained during immigration operations, have fueled criticism and reignited the debate on the methods used by authorities. They are counting on a change in semantics to avoid a heavy penalty in the Midterms, the November elections.
