Administration officials say enforcement priorities remain unchanged after reports that GOP lawmakers were advised to avoid certain terminology in campaign messaging.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
The White House responded Tuesday after a report claimed Republican lawmakers were advised to avoid emphasizing the phrase “mass deportations” while discussing immigration policy ahead of the upcoming midterm elections.
According to reporting by Axios, White House Deputy Chief of Staff James Blair delivered the message during a policy session with House Republicans at their annual retreat in Doral, Florida. Sources cited in the report said Blair encouraged lawmakers to center their messaging on the removal of violent offenders rather than broader immigration enforcement terminology.
The White House did not directly dispute the report but emphasized that the administration’s immigration policies remain unchanged.
White House Deputy Press Secretary Abigail Jackson said the administration continues to prioritize deporting individuals who have committed crimes after entering the country illegally.
“Nobody is changing the Administration’s immigration enforcement agenda. President Trump’s highest priority has always been the deportation of illegal alien criminals who endanger American communities,” Jackson said in remarks shared with Fox News and highlighted in a statement circulating on social media.
Jackson said data from the Department of Homeland Security shows that approximately 70 percent of deportations carried out so far involved individuals with criminal records.
She added that roughly 3 million people who entered the United States illegally have left the country through deportation or voluntary departure, and said the administration believes the southern border has remained secure for nine consecutive months.
Blair also addressed the issue publicly in comments posted online. In a message shared on X, he said the administration remains focused on deporting individuals who pose public safety threats.
“It’s very simple: Republicans want to keep deporting the violent/criminal illegals that Joe Biden & the Democrats in Congress let in,” Blair wrote, adding that the administration’s focus remains on removing offenders who endanger communities.
According to the Axios report, Blair suggested lawmakers highlight examples of individuals who have benefited from recent legislative initiatives, including provisions contained in the administration’s economic package often referred to as the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” which passed last year.
President Donald Trump has also spoken about prioritizing the removal of individuals convicted of serious crimes while discussing immigration enforcement.
During a press briefing earlier this year, Trump said the administration’s immediate focus was on deporting individuals involved in violent or drug-related offenses.
“We’re looking to get the criminals out right now,” Trump said. “The murderers, the drug dealers, the mentally insane.”
Trump also noted that many individuals who entered the country illegally are currently working in industries such as agriculture and hospitality.
“We have a lot of heart for people,” he said. “They came in illegally, but they’re good people, and they’re working now on farms, and they’re working in luncheonettes and hotels.”
The president previously indicated that legislation was being explored to address the status of workers in some sectors of the economy.
Speaking at a rally in Des Moines, Iowa, on July 3, 2025, Trump said policymakers were considering proposals related to long-term workers employed by farms and hospitality businesses.
“You had cases where people have worked for a farm for 14, 15 years, and they get thrown out pretty viciously,” Trump said. “We’ve got to work with the farmers and people that have hotels and leisure properties too.”
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