Senior Hardline Immigration Official to Be Appointed to Key White House Post
Trump to Accelerate Deportation of Illegal Immigrants Immediately Upon Inauguration
Donald Trump, the President-elect of the United States, is reportedly planning to appoint Steven Miller, a former senior White House advisor who designed plans for deporting illegal immigrants, as the Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy, CNN reported on the 11th (local time). Following the appointment of a 'border czar' by Trump, reports emerged that a hardliner on immigration issues would be placed in a key White House position, indicating that the second Trump administration, which prioritizes immigration issues, is expected to accelerate the largest-scale deportation operation of illegal immigrants immediately after its inauguration in January next year.
On the same day, CNN cited two sources saying that Trump plans to announce the appointment of former senior advisor Miller as Deputy Chief of Staff within days.
Miller, who led tough border policies during the first Trump administration, was also the architect of large-scale illegal immigrant deportation pledges during the recent election. At that time, he actively pushed for separating children from immigrant detention centers and restricting entry of citizens from Islamic countries. CNN reported, "He stated that under the second Trump administration, the number of illegal immigrant deportees would increase to over 1 million annually, more than ten times the current number."
Vice President-elect J.D. Vance also shared this news on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) on the same day, writing, "Another fantastic choice by the President. Congratulations."
Former senior advisor Miller is expected to lead illegal immigration restriction policies alongside Tom Homan, the former acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), whom Trump appointed as the 'border czar' for his second administration the day before. The announcement of Homan's appointment was the second key nomination following the naming of Suzy Wiles, co-chair of the joint election campaign committee, as White House Chief of Staff, reflecting Trump’s focus and determination on immigration issues. In an interview with Fox News, former acting director Homan said regarding the deportation plan for illegal immigrants, "We will prioritize threats to public safety and national security." He specifically mentioned drug cartels and sexual human trafficking, stating, "We will focus on the worst of the worst," and added, "It will be very different from what the media says." This was interpreted as a plan to conduct large-scale deportation operations focusing on cases that pose national security threats, rather than indiscriminately raising immigration barriers.
Earlier, on the 7th, the day after his victory was confirmed, Trump said in an interview with NBC that strengthening the border would be his top policy priority after taking office. He said, "We have to make the border strong and secure," and regarding deportation of illegal immigrants, he stated, "There is no other choice." However, he also said, "At the same time, we want people to come into our country. I am not someone who says 'no'," indicating his willingness to accept legal immigration.
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