In a television interview after Republicans lost their majority in Congress, President Donald Trump said his immigration policy may have been too strict and had cost him votes. He said he believed agreements with Democrats, who are set to become the largest party in both chambers from January, could allow people who have lived and worked in the United States for many years to remain, while still deporting people he described as killers and drug dealers.

Trump’s comments came as his administration continued to pursue a hard-line approach, including arrests and deportations led by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Democrats criticized the remarks, pointing to Trump’s appointment of Stephen Miller, a prominent architect of the policy, as his new chief of staff. Democrats have said that oversight of ICE and the Department of Homeland Security will be a priority when they take control of Congress.