Former President Donald Trump’s suggestion of a potential amnesty deal for long-term undocumented immigrants has drawn sharp criticism from his base and a new poll showing most voters favor deportations—even for those without criminal records.
Base Reacts with Fury
Trump’s comments on 60 Minutes proposing to “work a deal” for some undocumented immigrants sparked immediate backlash. “This would be a complete and total betrayal to his own movement and to the country,” said Nalin Haley, son of former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley. Conservative commentator Tami Lehren called the idea “utterly ridiculous,” while Trump supporter Randy Westlund, mayor of Post Falls, Idaho, said, “Hearing this hurts worse than losing the midterms.”
Poll Shows Voters Want Tough Stance
A new poll of 875 registered voters found 78% support deporting undocumented immigrants who’ve committed crimes. Even for those without criminal records, 48% favored mass deportations—including 78% of Republican men and 66% of Republican women. The survey comes after Trump suggested allowing some long-term residents to stay if they’re “good people” working jobs like housekeeping or landscaping.
Contradictory Signals
The amnesty trial balloon conflicts with Trump’s recent hiring of immigration hardliner Stephen Miller as chief of staff and follows midterm elections where Democrats lost ground by pushing progressive policies. Even some Democratic winners, like Texas Governor-elect Gina Hinojosa, praised Trump’s border approach, while Michigan Senator-elect Abdul El-Sayed admitted his party “got that wrong” on lax enforcement.
Meanwhile, business interests and Fox News leadership are reportedly lobbying for amnesty to maintain access to immigrant labor, setting up a clash between GOP factions as the 2028 election cycle looms.
Source: www.breitbart.com — https://www.breitbart.com/immigration/2026/11/09/trumps-base-and-new-poll-reject-trumps-amnesty-dangle/