By Elliot Spagat The Associated Press
Donald Trump’s top picks for immigration policy posts over the last four years have been waiting for this moment.
Stephen Miller and Thomas Homan played critical roles in the first Trump Administration and are staunch supporters of his policies, including separating thousands of parents from their children at the border to deter illegal crossings. As Trump promises a sweeping second-term crackdown on illegal immigration, two White House advisers will offer practical knowledge, lessons from past setbacks and personal insights to help him carry out his plans.
After Trump left office in 2021, Miller became president America First Lawa group that has teamed up with Republican state attorneys general to block President Joe Biden’s border policies and plans. Founded by Homan, who has worked for many years in immigration law enforcement Border 911 Foundation Inca group that says it’s fighting “border invasion” and held its inaugural rally in April at Trump’s Florida residence.
Tom Homan, left, in an April 26, 2018 photo in East Point, Georgia, and Stephen Miller in an Oct. 9, 2024 photo in Reading, Pennsylvania.AP
Homan ”knows how the machinery works,” said Ronald Vitiello, former head of the Border Patrol and acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement in the first Trump Administration. “He did it as a front line, he did it as a supervisor and he did it as a senior executive. You have nothing to learn on that side of the equation.”
Trump has promised to carry out the largest deportation operation in US history. It is estimated that 11 million people are in the country illegally. Questions remain about how people in a mass raid would be identified and where they would be held.
Miller and Homan portray illegal immigration as a black and white issue and praise Trump’s policy of targeting everyone living in the country without deportation status.
Trump attacked illegal immigration frequently and strongly during his campaign, linking the record spike in unauthorized border crossings to issues ranging from drug trafficking to high housing prices. The arrival of asylum seekers and other immigrants in cities and communities across the country has strained some budgets and shifted the political debate on immigration largely to the right, with Democratic candidate Kamala Harris reversing some of her long-standing positions during her campaign, questioning the enforcement of immigration laws.
Miller, 39, is a former Capitol staffer who rose to prominence as a fiery speechwriter for Trump and a chief architect of his immigration policies from 2017 to 2021. He has long advocated doomsday scenarios about how immigration threatens the United States, focusing its rhetoric on. people who are in the country illegally, but also in support of restricting legal immigration.
Trump, Miller declared at the former president’s rally at Madison Square Garden last month, that he was fighting for “the right to live in a country where criminal gangs can only cross our border and rape and murder without punishment.”
“America belongs to Americans and Americans alone,” he said.
Homan, 63, decided to pursue a career in law enforcement as a child in West Carthage, New York, watching his father work as a magistrate in the small farming town. After a year as a police officer in his hometown, he joined the Border Patrol in San Diego and remembers thinking, “What the hell have I done?”
Homan rose to acting director of ICE under Trump. He was instrumental in separating children from their parents after crossing the border illegally and prosecuting the parents criminally, said Lee Gelernt, an attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), which sued to stop it. with the practice.
Under a court agreement, families cannot be separated until December 2031 as part of a policy to prevent illegal crossings. Trump defended the practice, claiming without evidence last year that it “stopped people from coming by the hundreds of thousands.”
At the National Conservative Conference in Washington earlier this year, Homan said that while he believes the government should prioritize national security threats, “no one is off the table. “If you’re here illegally, you better look over your shoulder.”
In a 2018 interview, Homan said he had no doubts about deporting a man who had been in the United States illegally for 12 years and had two children who were American citizens. He compared it to a fine for speeding drivers or an audit of a tax evader.
“People think I enjoy this. I am a father. People don’t think this bothers me. I feel bad for these people’s situation. “Don’t get me wrong, but I have a job to do,” he said.
He defended the “zero tolerance” policy that led to family separation when Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez pressed him at a congressional hearing. He compared it to arresting someone for driving under the influence with a small child as a passenger.
“When I was a cop in New York and I arrested a parent for domestic violence, I separated that parent,” he said, inviting criticism that it wasn’t the right analogy. The children could not be quickly reunited with their parents at the border because government computers did not recognize them as families. Many parents were deported, and children were placed in shelters across the country.
Opponents of zero tolerance have argued that separations that occur during criminal cases involving US citizens are different from “intolerant” separations, where parents in many cases were deported without their children, who were sent to centers managed by the They are government.
Unlike the secretary of Homeland Security, the director of ICE and the commissioner of Customs and Border Protection, who oversees the Border Patrol, Miller and Homan do not need Senate approval. These people will be in charge of carrying out the orders of the White House.
Interview with Time.news Editor and Immigration Expert
Editor: Thank you for joining us today. The return of Donald Trump and his key advisors, Stephen Miller and Thomas Homan, has reignited discussions about immigration policy in the U.S. Can you share your thoughts on their influence and what this means for future immigration enforcement?
Expert: Certainly! With Trump’s promise of a major crackdown on illegal immigration, Miller and Homan bring a wealth of experience to the table, having shaped controversial policies in his first term. Their tactics, particularly around the separation of families at the border, were designed to act as deterrents and they’re likely to pursue similar aggressive measures moving forward.
Editor: That’s a chilling prospect for many. Homan’s experience, particularly in law enforcement as a former ICE head, gives him a unique perspective. What are his credentials and how might they shape his approach this time around?
Expert: Homan’s career in immigration enforcement spans various roles, from frontline patrol to leadership positions. He understands “how the machinery works,” as Ronald Vitiello pointed out. This means he likely has detailed insights into the logistics of executing mass deportation operations, which is a significant part of Trump’s plan.
Editor: Trump has indicated that he intends to conduct the largest deportation operation in U.S. history. Given the estimate of 11 million undocumented individuals in the country, how feasible do you think this plan is?
Expert: It’s ambitious, to say the least. Implementing such a vast operation involves complex logistics regarding identification, processing, and detainment of those targeted. It’s challenging to consider how a system overwhelmed by resources could efficiently manage millions of cases. Moreover, the legal and humanitarian implications of such actions cannot be overlooked, making this a contentious and likely difficult policy to implement.
Editor: You mentioned some of the humanitarian implications. How do you think Homan and Miller will reconcile their hardline stances with the criticism they faced, particularly regarding family separations?
Expert: It’s telling that they have defended their past policies as necessary for national security, arguing that tough measures reduce illegal crossings. However, the backlash from family separation policies and lawsuits from organizations like the ACLU indicates a significant public and legal challenge. They will likely need to navigate around these criticisms carefully to maintain their support among their base while reducing the risks of legal repercussions.
Editor: Miller has often portrayed immigration as a stark issue, framing it in black and white terms. How does this rhetoric affect the broader political landscape, especially with Democrats?
Expert: Miller’s incendiary rhetoric tends to polarize the debate. By framing the issue as a choice between national security and chaos, he successfully shifts part of the political discourse to the right. This has forced Democrats, including figures like Kamala Harris, to reassess their positions to defend against the rising tide of right-wing sentiment on immigration, which could lead to more restrictive policies from the left as well.
Editor: As a final thought, what do you believe is the long-term impact of these policies on communities and the nation’s fabric?
Expert: The long-term impact could be deeply divisive. Communities with large immigrant populations could feel the strain and fear imposed by increased enforcement. Disruptive immigration policies can lead to social unrest, economic hardships for families, and a fracture between communities and law enforcement. On the other hand, supporters of these policies may feel a sense of security, which is why this issue remains so contentious and polarizing. Ultimately, the challenge will be finding a balance that addresses both security concerns and maintains humanity.
Editor: Thank you for your insights. It’s clear that the implications of these policies will reverberate throughout the nation, and the conversation is far from over.