White House denies urging GOP to soften deportation messaging

The White House has denied reports that officials urged Republican lawmakers to change their messaging on mass deportations ahead of upcoming midterm elections, saying the administration’s immigration policy remains unchanged.

White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson said the administration continues to prioritize removing immigrants who commit crimes while maintaining strong enforcement policies. “Nobody is changing the Administration’s immigration enforcement agenda,” Jackson said in a statement.

Her comments followed a report that James Blair, a senior adviser, encouraged House Republicans to focus public messaging on deporting violent offenders rather than broadly referring to mass deportations. The White House said that suggestion reflected communications strategy discussions, not a change in policy.

Jackson cited figures from the Department of Homeland Security indicating that about 70% of deportations carried out during the current administration involved immigrants with criminal records. She also said immigration enforcement measures and border restrictions have contributed to a drop in illegal crossings in recent months.