Trump Hints at Migrant Legalization, but Does Not Mention Working Americans



U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement

by Neil Munro 10 Nov 2026

President Donald Trump says he is deporting the “worst of the worst” while hinting he may stop deporting the millions of low-wage migrants who illegally work for U.S. employers.

“We focus on the worst of the worst,” Trump told reporters at a November 9 White House press conference, adding:

We want to get the murderers out. We’ve gotten most of them out. We’ve got most of the really bad [out]. … We’ve gotten most of them. We want to get the worst of the worst, and then we’ll see what happens.

Trump then shifted focus to non-violent migrants, saying, “many of them have good jobs now, they’re productive, some of them are even paying taxes, and we’re seeing what’s going to happen … We’re working with a lot of different groups to see whether or not. “
He added:

But my policy hasn’t changed. What we are doing is absolutely the worst of the worst. We’re getting the murderers. They allowed people to come in from prisons. They emptied their prisons into our country. Many countries, and they emptied our prisons into our country. The drug dealers that we have, the people from the mental institutions, mental institutions all over the world were emptied out. Prisons all over the world. The Congo, were in the Congo, their prison population was emptied into our country. All over South America, all over Asia, they did that too. What Biden did to this country should never, ever be forgotten.

At least 10 million illegal migrants are working in jobs that could be held by the millions of Americans who have been elbowed out of the workforce during the last decade.

On many occasions, Trump has suggested that he would allow illegal migrants to stay in U.S. jobs if their employers want to keep them. He has sketched that giveaway in conversations about jobs in hotels, farms, and restaurants, but no establishment reporter has ever asked him if the inflow of migrants makes it difficult for ordinary Americans to earn good wages amid the flood of migrants.

That aspect of the debate has emerged on X, following a post by a roofing contractor who urged Trump to legalize illegal migrants.

The video by Lee Haight, president of Roofing & Reconstruction Contractors of America in Naples, Florida, showed him on a roof with a group of hard-working illegal migrants. “I was a big part of the blue wave” against the GOP, Haight said as he described how he would earn $150,000 from a single roofing job.

Haight quickly removed the video, but many ordinary Americans showed their opposition to his use of illegal labor to beat his competitors.

“Lee Haight uses subsidized labor for [his] business,” said an account named Just Matthew. “Instead of better wages and healthcare for Americans, he’d rather pay under the table while ****ing taxpayers.”

just Matthew
@thematthew26
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Lee Haight uses subsidized labor for his business. Instead of better wages and healthcare for Americans, he'd rather pay under the table while ****ing taxpayers.

American AF
@iAnonPatriot

"I was a big part of the blue wave.."

That's Lee Haight, president of RRCA (Roofing & Reconstruction Contractors of America) in Naples, Florida, defending his illegal immigrant crew from ICE and saying they're "necessary," not a burden on society.

In the same video he complains



https://x.com/iAnonPatriot/status/21...84518979211588


“Cheap labor works out GREAT for the guy at the top,” said a post by Archangel.

Trump and his allies lost the 2026 election — for American citizens and conservatives — because they failed to motivate young men. Exit polls showed GOP candidates won just 63 percent of the low turnout of white, non-college voters.

Since his inauguration, Trump has blocked the arrival of additional illegal migrants. But he has protected many employers of illegal migrants – including companies in construction, hotels, meatpacking, and much else — from painful workplace raids or inspections by DHS agents. That quiet protection for employers has reduced pressure on American companies to hire Americans and to raise their pay.

Still, his opposition to new illegal migration is forcing up wages.

For example, American construction workers in Florida who build the wooden frames for housing can now charge roughly $42 per hour, up from $20 per hour, Scott Brannock, president of Jacksonville-based Tidewater Homes and the Northeast Florida Builders Association, told The Wall Street Journal.

“We’re almost dead in the water because our [foreign migrant] workforce is gone,” he complained in the October 16 report.

Another contractor “has seen a 70% reduction of crews available for certain jobs, forcing the leftover crews to double their rates in most cases [and] has also started a campaign to recruit new workers, offering significant cash bonuses for applications,” the newspaper wrote.

“Construction pay is up again this year, and many tradespeople are starting to feel the shift on the jobsite,” a construction industry site reported in June:

Average hourly earnings for construction craft workers reached $38.97 in May 2026, up 5.0% year over year, compared to 3.6% for the broader private sector. Growth is strongest in nonresidential construction.

But Haight’s post on X showed the depth of public anger about employers who use cheap migrant labor to displace American workers and businesses.

“Mr Haight is the reason why we have illegals,” said America Is Fubar:

No employment no illegals. No benefits No illegals. Easy to shut down. 20K per illegal found to be hired first offense 40K second. Freeze all bank accounts. very simple and easy to do. No violence, no protests. go after employers.

“When I graduated HS in 2000 I had a ton of friends that went into roofing,” said another post from PoohThePole Dancer. He added:

By 2003 they were talking about all the Latin Americans that were riding in the city. Most were laid off during the 2008 crash. Almost zero were ever called back. Not because houses didn’t start going up again, but because shit bags like this could pay a clown car full of illegal Mexicans, who were sleeping 12 to a 1 bedroom, half they pay and charge you the 3% less too take more of the pie. **** this guy.

“When the crew of illegals ****ed up my roof installing a chimney, they called a roofing company & of a bunch of illegals came and ****ed it up even more,” said August Clancularious, adding:

I called a roofing company who sent out a decent guy that said he could handle the job and he sent a crew of 3 illegals who ****ed up even more. Finally I found a dude on Craigslist who said he was an out of work roofer with 35 years experience. For $500 bucks he spent day going through everything these clowns messed up and just made it all perfect. He lost his job around 2008 and was doing little roof jobs on the side because he can’t compete with the crews of illegals.


Cernovich
@Cernovich
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"I build 8-figure roofing companies," his social media profile brags. He wants to keep the margins for himself, and not pay American workers more. The entire industry is like this.



American AF
@iAnonPatriot

"I was a big part of the blue wave.."

That's Lee Haight, president of RRCA (Roofing & Reconstruction Contractors of America) in Naples, Florida, defending his illegal immigrant crew from ICE and saying they're "necessary," not a burden on society.In the same video he complains



https://x.com/iAnonPatriot/status/21...49250238742674

“I’d like to report Lee Haight for fraud,” said apost by Observer. He added:

Tax fraud and using trafficked human beings to crush smaller American companies out of business. To the tune of at least a few hundred Million. Thank you for your attention to this matter.

“Makes videos while have a dozen OSHA violations,” that threaten the safety of the migrant workers, noted ChiefPodcastBrosDaddy.

“The [migrants’] families are enrolled in schools, need ESL services, use medicare and snap etc.,” said Hanson Brothers. “Taxpayers pay, roofer profits”

“Get this guy Lee Haight,” said an appeal to ICE by aquaticdoge:

he makes millions exploiting illegal immigrant labor and undercutting American roofers. He’s bragging about it for the whole world to see. Will you let that stand?

Lee Kuan Yimby
@LeeKuanYimby
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This clip from Charlie Kirk at a roofing conference is particularly impressive. Here is why.

Charlie knows he is speaking to a conservative audience that in theory, supports borders and law and order, but not if it affects their cash cow (roofing), which functions almost

Show more



https://twitter.com/i/status/2087734936316833844

10:56 PM · Aug 12, 2026

Mark Krikorian
@MarkSKrikorian
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I don't have any more information about what's going to happen after watching this than I did before.

Wid Lyman
@Wid_Lyman

President Trump RIGHT NOW in the Briefing room with Dana White:Q: Have you told Stephen Miller you want changes to your deportation policy?

"There won't be amnesty."



https://x.com/Wid_Lyman/status/21199...21922431492274

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2...ing-americans/