Donald Trump has pulled back on his aggressive deportation policies - and First Lady Melania could be behind his change of heart. Following conversations with his wife and Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, the President now believes some of his illegal immigration policies may have gone too far, sources told the Wall Street Journal. Trump wants his team to focus on arresting 'bad guys' and temper down the heated rhetoric surrounding 'mass deportations.' Melania Knauss came to the US in 1996 as an immigrant and working model. She met Trump while in Manhattan in 1998 and they were married in 2005. She became a US citizen in July 2006 through her marriage and sponsored her parents using chain migration policies. Both Melania and the son she shares with Trump, Barron, are dual citizens of the US and Slovenia.
White House denies shift in immigration strategy
The First Lady's office did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding her reported conversations with Trump about immigration policy. Wiles, for her part, believes that what was once a cornerstone of the Trump administration agenda is now a liability ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. And it is not just about what is said, but how immigration operations are conducted on the ground and who is leading that effort. The White House pushed back on the new report. 'Nobody is changing the Administration's immigration enforcement agenda,' Trump spokesman Abigail Jackson told the Daily Mail. She added: 'President Trump's highest priority has always been the deportation of illegal alien criminals who endanger American communities.'
Homan takes control after deadly immigration clashes
There appeared to be a public realignment, however, when White House border czar Tom Homan was deployed to Minneapolis after two Americans were shot dead in tussles with immigration enforcement officials in January. He took over from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who fumbled the response in Minnesota and, as punishment, was reassigned to focus on border issues rather than internal immigration enforcement. While Homan is seen as a border hawk, he is also viewed as a more measured voice within the White House, especially when compared to Noem, who preemptively called one American pro-immigration protester who was killed by her agents a domestic terrorist.
Senator Mullin vows to reduce daily controversy
Trump, wanting to see less chaos in American cities, abruptly fired Noem just over a month after the tragedy in Minneapolis and announced his nomination of Republican Senator Markwayne Mullin to replace her. The Oklahoma Senator said at his confirmation hearing this week: 'My goal in six months is that we're not in the lead story every day.' Trump has complained to advisers about the bad headlines Noem attracted during her tenure at DHS, people familiar with the matter told the Journal. He specifically asked aides if they were aware of Noem's contract approval process, which has come under immense scrutiny.
Mullin (pictured) vowed to lawmakers on Wednesday to lead a cooperation effort with local officials and reverse many of Noem's controversial directives - including one that allowed her immigration officers to force entry into homes without a criminal warrant. Noem saw a dramatic loss of confidence amid the deportation crackdown in Minnesota. A Daily Mail poll conducted by JL Partners in January resulted in Noem's 33 percent approval rating, and a dramatic rise in her 41 percent disapproval - up from 37 percent in December.
For now, officials familiar say that ICE isn't moving forward with large-scale high-profile immigrant round-up operations like the ones it conducted in blue cities like Chicago, Washington, DC, Memphis and Minneapolis. Polling backs up the Trump advisers who are telling him to back off his current immigration agenda. The Daily Mail's January survey found that 53 percent of registered voters want ICE and Customs and Border Protection raids to end. This included nearly one-fifth of Republicans. Overall, 47 percent believe ICE should be disbanded, an uptick from 43 percent in Daily Mail polling from earlier in the year.