Trump Reportedly Raises Concerns Internally Over Scope of Deportation Effort: 'We've Got to Focus On the Criminals'

President Trump has privately raised concerns that elements of his administration's deportation strategy have gone too far, urging advisers to refocus enforcement on "criminals" rather than broad "mass deportation" efforts, according a new report.

In conversations with senior aides, Trump has emphasized that the administration should prioritize arresting "bad guys" and reduce the visibility of large-scale operations that have drawn public scrutiny. "We've got to focus on the criminals," he has told advisers, according to one senior official cited by WSJ.

The shift comes as polling shows growing unease with the administration's approach, with a Washington Post/ABC News survey published in February finding 58% of Americans believing deportations are "going too far."

The recalibration is shaping both policy and messaging. Arrests by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have declined to roughly 1,200 per day from more than 1,500 during earlier high-profile operations, according to people familiar with the data. Officials have also paused large-scale raids in major cities, while exploring more targeted enforcement, including cooperation with local jails and smaller workplace operations.

At the same time, Republican leaders and White House officials have begun steering lawmakers away from the phrase "mass deportation." During a closed-door retreat, Deputy Chief of Staff James Blair advised members of Congress to emphasize the removal of violent offenders instead, citing stronger public support for that approach, as Axios first reported.

The messaging change has extended to the administration's public communications. A review of official social media accounts published by Politico last week shows a sharp drop in references to "mass deportation" in recent weeks, even as officials continue highlighting arrests of individuals accused of serious crimes.

Republican strategist Kevin Madden told the news site that the emphasis reflects "a more prioritized and precise focus on illegal immigrants with criminal offenses."

The adjustment follows political and operational challenges, including backlash after a high-profile enforcement operation in Minneapolis and concerns among some Republicans about the issue's impact ahead of the midterm elections. Trump has also replaced Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, with nominee Markwayne Mullin signaling a shift toward less confrontational tactics.

Despite the changes, the White House has insisted the overall policy remains intact. "Nobody is changing the Administration's immigration enforcement agenda," spokeswoman Abigail Jackson told The Wall Street Journal, adding that the president's priority "has always been the deportation of illegal alien criminals who endanger American communities."