Donald Trump appears to be softening his stance on strict deportation measures, and it seems First Lady Melania Trump may have played a role in influencing this shift.

According to the Wall Street Journal, discussions with Melania and Chief of Staff Susie Wiles have led the President to reconsider the extent of his immigration policies, which some believe had crossed a line.

President Trump is now urging his administration to concentrate on apprehending individuals with criminal backgrounds, aiming to reduce the fervor surrounding the concept of “mass deportations.”

Melania Trump, who arrived in the United States in 1996 as an immigrant and model, met Donald Trump in Manhattan in 1998, and they wed in 2005. She became a U.S. citizen in July 2006, subsequently sponsoring her parents for citizenship through chain migration laws.

Both Melania and her son with Donald Trump, Barron, hold dual citizenship in the United States and Slovenia.

The First Lady’s office has not provided any comments in response to inquiries about her discussions with the President on immigration matters.

Wiles, for her part, believes that what was once a cornerstone of the Trump administration agenda is now a liability ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

And it is not just about what is said, but how immigration operations are conducted on the ground and who is leading that effort.

First Lady Melania Trump is among those who have allegedly helped President Donald Trump see that his ‘mass deportation’ agenda has gone too far, according to a report

Trump fired DHS Secretary Kristi Noem in March and announced his nomination of Senator Markwayne Mullin to replace her

Mullin said at his confirmation hearing on Wednesday: ‘My goal in six months is that we’re not in the lead story every day’

The White House pushed back on the new report.  

‘Nobody is changing the Administration’s immigration enforcement agenda,’ Trump spokesman Abigail Jackson told the Daily Mail.

She added: ‘President Trump’s highest priority has always been the deportation of illegal alien criminals who endanger American communities.’

There appeared to be a public realignment, however, when White House border czar Tom Homan was deployed to Minneapolis after two Americans were shot dead in tussles with immigration enforcement officials in January.

He took over from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who fumbled the response in Minnesota and, as punishment, was reassigned to focus on border issues rather than internal immigration enforcement.

While Homan is seen as a border hawk, he is also viewed as a more measured voice within the White House, especially when compared to Noem, who preemptively called one American pro-immigration protester who was killed by her agents a domestic terrorist.

Trump, wanting to see less chaos in American cities, abruptly fired Noem just over a month after the tragedy in Minneapolis and announced his nomination of Republican Senator Markwayne Mullin to replace her.

The Oklahoma Senator said at his confirmation hearing this week: ‘My goal in six months is that we’re not in the lead story every day.’

Trump reportedly wants to see less chaos in American cities as a result of his administration’s immigration enforcement 

Melania Trump came to the US as an immigrant in 1996 and became a citizen after marrying Donald Trump in the mid-2000s. She and son Barron Trump remain dual citizens of the US and Slovenia

Trump has complained to advisers about the bad headlines Noem attracted during her tenure at DHS, people familiar with the matter told the Journal. He specifically asked aides if they were aware of Noem’s contract approval process, which has come under immense scrutiny.

Mullin vowed to lawmakers on Wednesday to lead a cooperation effort with local officials and reverse many of Noem’s controversial directives – including one that allowed her immigration officers to force entry into homes without a criminal warrant.

Noem saw a dramatic loss of confidence amid the deportation crackdown in Minnesota.

A Daily Mail poll conducted by JL Partners in January resulted in Noem’s 33 percent approval rating, and a dramatic rise in her 41 percent disapproval – up from 37 percent in December.

For now, officials familiar say that ICE isn’t moving forward with large-scale high-profile immigrant round-up operations like the ones it conducted in blue cities like Chicago, Washington, DC, Memphis and Minneapolis.

Polling backs up the Trump advisers who are telling him to back off his current immigration agenda.

The Daily Mail’s January survey found that 53 percent of registered voters want ICE and Customs and Border Protection raids to end. This included nearly one-fifth of Republicans.

Overall, 47 percent believe ICE should be disbanded, an uptick from 43 percent in Daily Mail polling from earlier in the year.