New York, November 12, 2024: President-elect Donald Trump has made one decision for his administration with the appointment of Stephen Miller, known for his hardline anti-immigration stance, as Deputy Chief of Staff. As of yet, though, Trump hasn’t issued an announcement himself. Vice President-elect JD Vance did break that news over X (formerly Twitter), congratulating Miller on the appointment. Vance lauded Miller as “another great pick by the President,” an implicit nod to where this government may be headed on immigration policy.
Stephen Miller is not a new face for Trump’s inner circle. He served during the administration as a policy advisor and speechwriter for the first term of Trump. There, he was active in the more restrictive policies on immigration adopted by the administration. Miller himself often went to rallies with Trump, along with delivering angry speeches that became highly rejuvenated on behalf of the latter with his base. Miller’s experience, and closeness to Trump, pointed toward this new term of Trump when Miller would also be at the center of shaping policies.
This is another fantastic pick by the president. Congrats @StephenM! https://t.co/2kQCmbcRy3
— JD Vance (@JDVance) November 11, 2024Last week, Trump announced that one of his most confidant campaign managers, Susan Wiles, would serve as chief of staff. President-elect Trump has appointed Tom Homan as the “Border Czar” to oversee border security and deportations. Miller and Homan will work on the immigration policies that have been a hallmark of Trump’s political career. An initial emphasis on appointments in this area indicates that, for all the consternation, Trump does indeed care about the subject.
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Perhaps Miller’s most controversial view is that illegal immigrants should be placed in camps until they can be deported. During a series of media interviews, Miller declared that “deportations should start as soon as possible,” and even claimed that the process should begin on Inauguration Day itself. I consider that this concept is very likely to cause serious debates and confront hurdles legally because it raises questions regarding ethical and human rights principles at stake. The implementation of these concepts will face difficulties and may not be as easy as Miller makes them sound.
Miller has also proposed ending birthright citizenship, a drastic change in U.S. immigration policy that grants citizenship automatically to all children born on U.S. soil – but only if at least one of the parents is in the country legally. Trump expressed an interest in this idea but expressed it so ambiguously that it’s still not clear the extent to which his administration will push the concept. Again, this will likely cause considerable pushback and will likely land in the courts. Indeed, if Trump and Miller attempt to pursue that policy, it will undeniably become a flashpoint for national debate. I believe that the elimination of birthright citizenship might even attract protracted legal battles and strong reactions on the political spectrum, which Trump’s team is still willing to face.
Another crucial connection is Miller’s close relationship with the conservative establishment. He has worked with many conservative members of the Republican camp, including Congresswoman Michele Bachmann and Senator Jeff Sessions, who became Trump’s Attorney General. Miller’s familiarity with Washington and acquaintances here can make him better positioned to handle the legislative agenda of the president in matters of immigration. He could capitalize on the ties if challenged on that particular issue, though immigration is one of the most divisive issues in American politics.
But another of Trump’s announcements Congresswoman Elise Stefanik will be the U.S. representative to the United Nations looks similarly like his second Cabinet-level pick coming on the heels of the nomination of Wiles. This appointment suggests that the Trump administration is aiming to harden U.S. stances abroad and realize a harder stance domestically, particularly on the subject of immigration.
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Altogether, the first picks by the Trump administration for his cabinet promise a more forceful immigration policy, an individual like Stephen Miller would quite likely push for some brash, unorthodox policies directed at clamping down on illegal immigration. Pleased as such appointments may be to the Trump supporters, they are bound to attract keen attention and court battles.
It would be interesting to see how these policies pan out in the next few months and whether they can stand the test of the challenges that are sure to follow. My take is that the immigration agenda of Trump is ambitious and will face many speed breakers, but if there is one thing that I have come to learn from Trump and his team over time, it is that they never believe in playing it safe.
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