Stephen Miller’s rise signals ICE unlikely to scale back crackdown after midterms, sources say, citing officials
Arrest targets rise
Agency sources told CBS News that ICE officials were recently directed to aim for about 19,000 arrests each week, or roughly 2,700 a day. That is higher than the earlier target of 2,000 daily arrests, which had been set before the midterms.
Asked whether the election results would bring a retreat in enforcement, one U.S. official said, “I would count on the opposite,” citing Miller’s new position.
Miller shapes immigration policy
Officials said the administration believes last week’s electoral losses were driven mainly by the economy, affordability and the war with Iran, rather than its immigration crackdown. The administration has also highlighted tighter security at the U.S.-Mexico border, where illegal crossings have fallen to historically low levels after reaching record highs during Joe Biden’s presidency.
Miller, a leading architect of Trump’s hardline immigration policies, served as a top aide in the first administration. That period included travel and immigration restrictions for people from Muslim-majority countries and the separation of thousands of migrant children from their parents under a policy later abandoned after public uproar.
Broad enforcement agenda
In the second Trump administration, Miller has served as deputy chief of staff and homeland security adviser. The administration has effectively closed the asylum system, halted refugee admissions with a notable exemption for White South Africans, tightened access to legal immigration benefits such as green cards, and conducted prominent ICE and Border Patrol operations nationwide.
Miller has also publicly raised suspending habeas corpus for people held by ICE. The right allows people to challenge unlawful detention. Habeas cases have surged over the past two years as other paths to release for people contesting deportation have narrowed.
Democrats prepare oversight
Theresa Cardinal Brown, who held immigration roles at DHS during the Obama and Bush administrations, expects the deportation effort to encounter obstacles next year. She said Democrats may use subpoenas, oversight hearings and legislation to limit immigration enforcement funding.
Brown also expects some states and communities with newly elected Democratic leaders, including Texas, to end or restrict policies requiring or allowing local police to work with ICE. Houston’s mayor said last week he would direct local police to limit cooperation with the agency.
Key points
- Officials say the administration is unlikely to scale back immigration enforcement after the midterms.
- ICE’s reported weekly arrest target is about 19,000, compared with an earlier daily target of 2,000.
- Democrats take control of both congressional chambers in January and may pursue oversight and funding restrictions.
- Theresa Cardinal Brown expects some local and state governments to limit cooperation with ICE.