Emilio González rules out a change in Trump's immigration strategy in an interview with ‘Voz News’: ‘It will be a change in tactics’

Former Director of the Office of Immigration Emilio González stated that President Donald Trump will not alter his deportation strategy after acknowledging that some immigration operations may have been too strict. During an interview with Wendy Cruz on “Voz News,” González argued that the administration should focus on deporting those who already have court-ordered deportation orders and adjust the priorities of ICE operations, without abandoning the goal of removing millions of undocumented immigrants from the country.

"I don't think this will be a change in strategy; it's a change in tactics," González stated. As he explained, there are currently about 1.5 million people with federal deportation orders signed by a judge, which is why he believes the authorities should start with those cases. "We must now focus, as he has said, on removing the worst of the worst," he noted.

Regarding the appointment of Stephen Miller as chief of staff, the former official noted that it is precisely a response to the administration's search for balance. He explained that Miller will no longer have a role focused exclusively on immigration but will instead assume a broader position from which he will coordinate members of the administration. "The president wants to strike a balance," he said, before noting that Trump remains at the helm of the executive branch and still has two years left in his term.

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Gonzalez also expressed skepticism about the possibility of Trump reaching an immigration agreement with the Democrats that would establish some form of legal status for undocumented workers. He noted that previous attempts at bipartisan reform failed due to political interests and argued that the Democrats are unlikely to allow the president to take credit for any reform. "I very much doubt that over the next two years they will give the president credit for anything related to immigration," he said.

Although he acknowledged that proposals such as that of Congresswoman María Elvira Salazar — which combines border security with legal solutions — could pave the way, González believed that the political conditions do not currently exist to advance them at the national level. Furthermore, he cautioned that Trump's voters expect him to maintain the firm stance on immigration that characterized his 2024 campaign. "The strategy of removing millions of people from the country [...] that's not going to change," he insisted.

Finally, he noted that the new Democratic-controlled Congress will have to negotiate with the president, who retains the power of veto. "That doesn't mean he's going to sign and approve everything they send him," he explained. In his view, the system of legislative elections every two years allows citizens to express their dissatisfaction and send a message to their leaders.

You can watch the full interview by clicking on the video below.