DORAL, FL — White House Deputy Chief of Staff James Blair privately urged House Republicans on Tuesday to stop emphasizing "mass deportations" and instead focus their messaging on removing violent criminals, according to sources in the closed-door briefing.
Why it matters: Mass deportations were central to the GOP's 2024 campaign message.
- Nearly half — 49% — of Americans say Trump's mass deportation campaign is too aggressive, including 1 in 5 voters who backed the president in 2024, a Politico poll from January found.
State of play: Blair delivered the message during a policy listening session with House Republicans at their annual retreat in Doral, Florida.
- He encouraged members to focus on deporting violent offenders rather than defending the broader concept of mass removals.
- The advice signals a recalibration by the White House — and reflects growing concern among some Republicans that Democrats are successfully framing Trump's immigration policy as overly sweeping and indiscriminate.
The big picture: Immigration enforcement has been a defining issue for Trump and congressional Republicans, and was a central pillar of their 2024 campaign message.
- The administration has leaned heavily into aggressive enforcement actions in its first year.
- But the killing of two U.S. citizens this year in Minneapolis and reports of U.S. citizens being detained have complicated the politics.
What's next: House Republicans are meeting this week to map out their legislative agenda and strategy for keeping the majority in November's midterms.
- Blair also told members to go out and find "real Americans" to highlight wins in the GOP's sweeping legislative package passed last summer.
