Aggressive US immigration raids which have sparked protests and allegations of rights violations have not gone far enough, US President Donald Trump said in a CBS interview released on Sunday.
Advertisement
Trump was interviewed on Friday by CBS’ 60 Minutes programme, his first meeting with the broadcaster since it agreed to a US$16 million settlement with him.
The Republican president had sued the Paramount-owned organisation over a 2024 pre-election interview with his Democratic opponent, former vice-president Kamala Harris.
Asked by interviewer Norah O’Donnell if raids conducted by his US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents have “gone too far”, the 79-year-old president replied: “I think they haven’t gone far enough.”
He claimed “liberal judges” appointed by Democratic presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden had “held back” immigration operations, according to the interview extract posted on social media.
O’Donnell noted documented instances of ICE agents tackling suspected immigrants, deploying tear gas in neighbourhoods and smashing open car windows.