Trump’s Deportation Duo in the West Wing
Stephen Miller and Thomas Homan will run Trump’s deportation agenda, perhaps into the ground.
WASHINGTON — President-elect Donald Trump has announced that Stephen Miller will serve as his deputy chief of staff for policy when the new administration takes office on January 6. Miller will work closely with Tom Homan, the incoming “border czar”—an ambiguous role improvised by a historically erratic politico. Miller, in theory, will report to chief of staff Suzy Wiles, while Homan, in theory, will report directly to Trump.
This could create an interesting dynamic on immigration policy in the West Wing. Trump has a habit of assigning overlapping responsibilities to subordinates, allowing them to clash for his amusement. That said, Homan and Miller are fully aligned in their commitment to deport as many migrants as possible. They are also well aware of the capacity and legal limitations of mass deportation policy, which they will look to challenge early and often once Trump returns to the Oval Office on January 6.
But what if Homan can’t deliver for Trump, leaving Miller una…