The mass deportation sweeps integral to meeting Stephen Miller’s goals have slowed substantially after last month’s federal retreat from Minnesota. It’s the biggest setback the White House deputy chief of staff has faced in his bid to purge the country of millions of immigrants. But as the highly visible raids featuring Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol have receded, it would be unwise to mistake a change in tactics with a change in Miller’s overall strategy and goals.
To be sure, withdrawing from Minnesota last month was the first of several major setbacks for Miller’s policies. The Department of Homeland Security is still partially shutdown as Senate Democrats hold up funding in hopes of instituting new reforms on ICE and Border Patrol. Meanwhile, the department itself is soon to be without a leader after Kristi Noem’s firing last week, with no hearing scheduled to get her replacement confirmed.
And while any drop off is encouraging, the danger in this moment is that the “softer touch” Trump said his administration needed will be mistaken as a reversion to the norm.
This is a preview of Hayes Brown’s latest column. Read the full column here.
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