Stephen Miller’s Influence on Immigration Policy — and Throughout the Administration

En Español: La Influencia de Stephen Miller en la Política de Inmigración y a Través de la Administración

Background

Quietly working behind the scenes and skillfully avoiding getting frequent mentions in the paper trails of various agencies, White House Senior Adviser Stephen Miller has remained one of President Donald Trump’s most influential aides. He has been the architect of the administration’s Muslim-country travel ban, the defender of zero-tolerance family separation, the advocate of reducing refugee admissions, and the promoter of rules that would allow the government to deny green cards to immigrants considered likely to use public assistance.

Reports also indicate that he not only has the president’s ear, but that he has gone so far as to place across the administration handpicked appointees with the same hardline immigration views. An August 2018 Vanity Fair article said that he has installed appointees who were “high up enough that they would know everything but not high up enough that they would be in the public spotlight or need Senate confirmation.” And in August 2019, the Washington Post reported that he will “surprise lower-level staffers with phone calls urging them to implement his ideas.”

Throughout his years of influence, Miller has reportedly put things in writing only rarely, “eschewing email in favor of phone calls,” as the Post reported, with written communications from his allies “often viewed as the expression of Miller’s wishes.” But his minimized email use hasn’t stopped American Oversight from investigating his magnified clout, filing Freedom of Information Act requests across the federal government for communications with Miller or his close allies and team members. Below is a timeline of documents we’ve received so far that reference meetings or communications with Miller, beginning in the early days of the Trump administration.

Timeline

January 2017

On Jan. 22, just two days after Trump’s inauguration, then-DHS official Gene Hamilton, a counselor to then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions, sent an email that said, “Stephen Miller asked me to schedule a time with Steve Bannon this evening to discuss some matters.”

On Jan. 28, Miller’s assistant invited DOJ White House Liaison Mary Blanche Hankey to an “Immigration Executive Order Implementation Meeting with Stephen Miller.”

Miller was included in correspondence between White House officials and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. The communications, over several months, can be found here, and show Miller’s connections with USTR officials Payne Griffin and Christopher Jackson.

February 2017

A congressional question for the record to a Justice Department nominee alleged that Miller called a U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York to tell him how to defend the administration’s travel ban.

On Feb. 8, Sam Clovis, who was White House liaison at the Department of Agriculture (and former co-chairman of the Trump campaign), sent an email to Miller with the subject line “I Need Your Help.” A week later, Clovis sent another email to give Miller “a heads up” about something (substance redacted).

On Feb. 10, an assistant to White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannon reached out to the Justice Department to schedule a meeting for Bannon, Miller, Attorney General Sessions, “and potentially [DHS] Secretary Kelly.” 

On Feb. 14, and again the next day, Miller asked to talk with Sessions’ chief of staff, Jody Hunt.

On Feb. 19, Miller urged Hunt to make sure that Sessions “reads the latest draft of the EO,” and the two discussed a possibly related “public rollout.” While the executive order they are discussing isn’t named in the unredacted texts of the emails, about two weeks later Trump issued a revised travel ban blocking people from six majority Muslim nations from entering the U.S.

Two days later, Miller wrote to Hunt: “Thanks for helping to push this through. Greatly appreciated.” Hunt responded, “Let’s hope we get it to the finish line in the right shape,” to which Miller replied, “We must do everything we can.” The next day, Hunt confirmed with Miller and Deputy White House Counsel Greg Katsas that the order would be delayed until the following week.

On Feb. 20, Miller, Bannon, and White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer exchanged emails about the shooting of a police officer in California. The suspect had reportedly been released from prison early under a new California law. Miller wrote, “We need to get the facts on what happened here” and forwarded the exchange to Hunt.

Miller forwarded an email from Maria Espinoza, leader of the anti-immigrant group the Remembrance Project, to Hunt on Feb. 27.

That same day, Hunt gathered statistics for Miller on the immigration status of people convicted of “international terrorism” since 2001. “So what is aliens plus naturalized citizens?” Miller asked. “Obvi a huge percentage.” The next day, Trump cited the data in his speech to a joint session of Congress.

March 2017 

On March 2, Ivanka Trump (using her personal email account), Miller and other officials exchanged communications regarding child-care policy.

On March 5, Miller, Hunt, Katsas, and others exchanged emails about Justice Department data on terrorism cases, including a statistic about refugees under investigation by the FBI that was cited in the next day’s travel ban executive order.

On March 6, Miller sent Hunt an article on overburdened immigration courts, asking “What can we do here?”

Clovis emailed Miller on March 6, ending his email with the sentence “Keep giving them hell.” The next day, Clovis provides Miller with VA Secretary David Shulkin’s “personal VA email.”

On March 10, Hunt asked a group of Justice Department officials to meet to discuss “marching orders” he had received from Miller and Bannon regarding sanctuary cities.

EPA official Ryan Jackson’s calendars show a lunch on March 17 with former EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt and Miller. Pruitt’s calendar indicates that the meeting was to discuss the “Climate Agenda” and also included the White House’s McLaurine Klingler and Robert Gabriel.

On March 27, Miller sent “corrections” to a draft of remarks Sessions was set to deliver threatening to withhold some federal funding from sanctuary cities.

April 2017

On April 11, Miller asked to set up a call with Hunt.

On April 17, a White House official told Hunt that Miller had had a conversation with Sessions that afternoon “about reaching out to appropriators about the agency’s budget.”

On April 20, Miller contacted Sessions about “Touching base on the border.” Later that day, he asked Hunt to chat about “2 questions from POTUS.” Miller wrote to Sessions two days later, saying, “Great talking with you and your team.” On April 27, Miller set up another call with Sessions.On April 21, Miller asked about the opening of ICE’s Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement Office.

On April 24, Rob Porter invited Miller and other White House officials to weekly “trade policy” meetings set to begin the next day.

Miller was invited to an April 25 National Economic Council meeting on tax reform. The meeting also included White House officials Steve Bannon and Jared Kushner.

May 2017

On May 1, Miller set up a call with Hunt.

On May 18, Miller asked Sessions to call him.

On May 30, White House official and reported Miller ally Andrew Veprek organized a meeting on “Refugee Questions” with Miller and personnel from the State Department, the Justice Department, DHS and HHS.

June 2017

Miller invited officials from the White House, the Justice Department, DHS, and HHS to a June 5 “Meeting re: Refugee Questions.”

Miller sent then-Labor Secretary Alex Acosta an email on June 13 with the subject “H-2B.”

On June 15, Miller exchanged emails with John Zadrozny, Gene Hamilton, Frank Wuco, and Francis Cissna about the fifth anniversary of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA).

On June 29, then-Labor Secretary Alex Acosta met with Miller and John Zadrozny, the special assistant to the president.

July 2017

On July 10, ICE Senior Adviser Jon Feere appears to have emailed Miller about two Breitbart articles that included old quotes from Miller, saying that it “may be necessary” for Miller to defend then-ICE Acting Director Thomas Homan.

Before an ICE “internal meeting on the recalcitrant country index” on July 12, Feere appears to email Miller to propose a “very significant angle” and to “make sure whatever is proposed is consistent with your vision.”

Sessions’ assistant told a colleague on July 14 that Sessions had just taken a call from Miller, who was calling “from Air Force One returning from France.”

August 2017

On Aug. 6, Miller contacted Sessions staffer Danielle Cutrona and Chad Mizelle, then a counsel to the deputy attorney general, to talk about sanctuary cities. On Aug. 16, Miller wrote to Mizelle on Aug. 16: “Incredible job. You should be very proud.” While it’s unclear to what Miller’s comment referred, Sessions had delivered a speech that day attacking sanctuary cities.

On Aug. 16, Scott Lloyd, director of the HHS office charged with caring for unaccompanied migrant children, was scheduled to meet with Miller at the White House. The next day, an assistant to Miller asked if Lloyd and fellow Office of Refugee Resettlement official Maggie Wynne could talk with Miller that evening.

After the scheduled call, Lloyd’s assistant wrote to an official, likely Lawrence Bartlett, then the State Department’s head of refugee admissions, who was reportedly sidelined in January 2018. Also included on the email, the subject line of which was “DPC [Domestic Policy Council] feedback,” was Kelly Gauger, a career State Department refugee official, and other DHS and State Department staffers.

“Scott had a call with Stephen Miller this evening about the report,” she wrote. “He would like to follow up with you regarding the report and some changes/ edits that may have need to happen.” A draft HHS report that painted a positive picture of the economic impact of refugees, which Miller reportedly insisted on scaling back, was dated July 29 — it is not clear if this is the same report Llloyd was discussing.

On Aug. 20, a communications official at the Administration for Children and Families reported that he had “emailed Stephen Miller tonight” about an issue with the upcoming rollout of the administration’s ending of states’ ability to waive welfare work requirements.

On Aug. 21, Lloyd emailed Miller and Miller’s White House colleagues Zina Bash, John Zadrozny, and David Wetmore: “In my conversation with Mr. Miller last week, we briefly discussed the delay in preparing the refugee cost report ordered in the March 6 Executive memorandum,” Lloyd wrote. “He acknowledged the delay, but State asked for confirmation in an email that he knows it will be late.” Lloyd noted that while “the majority of the substance is ready,” the delay was due to “departmental and interdepartmental clearance.” Miller responded: “We get it before we put in the new refugee number at the end of September?”

Also that day, Lloyd and ACF staff worked on edits to a “report on the UAC program that Stephen Miller requested and will be used to prepare a brief for WH staff and the president.”

White House official Peter Navarro included Miller in a request for a meeting about border wall bids on Aug. 23.

On Aug. 25, Miller asked to talk with Justice Department Chief of Staff Hunt.

Feere shared five news articles about DACA on Aug. 30 with Miller and other officials, including Zadrozny, Gene Hamilton, Kathy Nuebel Kovarik and Zina Bash.

On Aug. 31, Lloyd internally circulated a “UAC program report for S. Miller.”

September 2017

On Sept. 1, Scott Lloyd, the former director of the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Refugee Resettlement, shared a report on the Unaccompanied Alien Children Program that Miller had requested. Also that day, an NSC official shared with Jared Kushner, Dina Powell and Miller information about “China’s position paper on key UN issues.”

On Sept. 5, Feere emailed Miller, Hamilton, Nuebel Kovarik, and Francis Cissna about “Errors & omissions on DACA’s External Affairs Guidance.” That same day, Feere and Zadrozny exchange emails, copying Miller, about Sen. Dick Durbin’s recent statements about the border wall. That morning, Sessions told Miller he was available for a call.

Also that day, ACF Assistant Secretary Steven Wagner emailed Nina Schaefer, a counselor to the HHS secretary, on the subject of “ASPE Report.” “Nina, Lance wanted me to check in with you regarding what I heard from Stephen Miller. Good time to talk?”

On Sept. 7, Feere accepted a calendar invitation from Miller for a “DPC/DOJ Weekly Immigration Policy Meeting.” These regular meetings appear in the documents available here and here.

On Sept. 15, Lloyd emailed Miller “a backgrounder on the Unaccompanied Alien Children program” that Miller had requested “a few weeks back.”

On Sept. 16, Miller asked to talk with the Justice Department’s Mizelle.

On Sept. 19, the day after the New York Times reported that Miller had intervened to remove information about the economic benefits of refugee resettlement from an HHS report, ACF’s Wagner emailed HHS Chief of Staff Lance Leggitt with the subject “Email Trail.” Oddly, the email is addressed to “Scott”: “ Scott do you have any email from Bartlett or others saying Stephen Miller is reassessing refugee cost report? Prior to Sep 5?” The finalized report, with Miller’s changes, had been dated Sept. 5.

Late in the evening of Sept. 21, Miller tried to reach Mizelle.

Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue had a meeting with Miller on September 25.

October 2017

Miller hosted a “Principals Committee meeting” on the president’s immigration strategy on Oct. 2. An invitation sent on Sept. 27 listed the following attendees: Jeff Sessions, Rex Tillerson, Alexander Acosta, Tom Price, Elaine Duke, Mick Mulvaney, John Kelly, Kirstjen Nielsen, Andrew Bremberg, Sarah Sanders, Hope Hicks, Mercedes Schlapp, Marc Short, Rick Dearborn, Don McGahn, Tom Bossert and Rob Porter.

On Oct. 5, Perdue had a call with Miller. Zadrozny adds Miller to an email, originally from White House immigration adviser David Wetmore, with the subject line “Operation Janus Denaturalization and Fraud Identification Project Funding.”

On Oct. 7, White House Cabinet Secretary William McGinley asked Justice Department Chief of Staff Matt Whitaker to join a call with him and Miller. The next day, Miller wrote to Sessions that “we will have to figure out how to engage the cabinet on explaining the priorities to the public and the Congress.”

On Oct. 16, Miller forwarded to Sessions aide Cutrona an email from a staffer for Rep. Mo Brooks asking for White House help on a bill requiring the FBI to include the immigration status of arrestees in its annual crime reports, in order to “put together as much information on the criminal tendencies of immigrants to effectively counter mainstream narratives.”

On Oct. 21, Miller’s assistant set up a call for Miller with Whitaker, Danielle Cutrona, and White House associate counsel John Bash. The next day, Miller emailed Whitaker, Cutrona, White House counsel John Walk, and Justice Department official Rachael Tucker with the subject line “Re: Refugee report.”

Later that month, on Oct. 30, Acosta had a call with Miller.

November 2017

On Nov. 2, Miller asked Hamilton to call him. Two days later, Miller and White House assistant Julia Hahn asked Hamilton for information on “terrorists who came in on DV [diversity visa] program.”

On Nov. 21, Feere and Miller exchanged a number of emails about “ICE equities in FY18 Appropriations Bill.”

On Nov. 23, Feere emailed Miller about “Appropriations”; Miller responded, “Thank you. Keep pushing.”

On Nov. 28, Miller added his “full immigration team” to an email reply to Hamilton on the subject of “GCM,” possibly the Global Compact on Migration. The White House immigration team on the email included Andrew Bremberg, Andrew Veprek, Zina Bash, John Zadrozny, David Wetmore, and Trevor Whetstone.

On Nov. 30, Miller’s assistant asked Scott Lloyd and Maggie Wynne from ORR to meet the following day with Miller, John Zadrozny, and Zina Bash on the subject of “Unaccompanied Alien Children.” Bash appears to have canceled the meeting later that day.

December 2017

HHS’ Scott Lloyd met with Miller at Miller’s office on Dec. 1 to discuss “Unaccompanied Alien Children.” Later that afternoon, Miller asked Feere to call him about prominent California politicians (Kamala Harris, Gavin Newsom and Jerry Brown) being “silent on Steinle verdict.”

That same day, Mizelle asked Miller for a meeting.

Also on Dec. 1, Miller attempted to set up a call with U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley. The next day, Miller participated in an email exchange with State Department officials about the U.S. ending its participation in the Global Migration Compact. A few days later, Miller asked Hamilton and others to talk about the efforts of some U.S. cities to join the migration talks.

Feere sent Miller a long email with “Ideas for swift action” on Dec. 7.

On Dec. 11, Miller asked to talk with Mizelle.

In the late hours of Dec. 17 and early hours of Dec. 18, USCIS Director Francis Cissna, DHS Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, and DHS Chief of Staff Chad Wolf exchanged urgent emails about a requested call with the White House. Wolf later reported, “This has been pushed to January.” Because DHS produced the exchange in response to a request for emails to and about Miller, we can infer that Miller’s name is hidden under one of the redactions.

On Dec. 18, Miller’s assistant contacted Cissna’s office to arrange a meeting. They arranged another meeting on Dec. 28.

In response to a Dec. 18 Justice Department press release about an immigration fraud case against a North Carolina man who had admitted to taking part in human rights abuses in Bosnia, Miller suggested that Hamilton talk with DHS Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen. That same day, Hamilton sent Miller a press release on an “Iraqi refugee sentenced for attempting to provide material support to ISIL.” Miller replied, “Add to list.”

On Dec. 22, ICE Senior Adviser Jon Feere sent Miller an email with “Progress updates,” which Homan had not seen in advance. That same day, Miller, Feere and other officials emailed about “Bitcoin terrorist update.” (Read more about that here.)

On Dec. 23, Miller emailed Feere, Zadrozny and others about a statement on “Immigration Backgrounds of Recent Terror-Related Suspects.” Other emails were exchanged about a “Shooting Incident in Harrisburg, PA.”

January 2018

Miller was included, along with Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Kellyanne Conway, Margaret Peterlin, Brian Hook, Mercedes Schlapp and others, on a Jan. 2 State Department email with the subject line “FOR REVIEW: UN vote on Jerusalem.”

On Jan. 2, Miller and Hamilton arranged a call for the next day.

On Jan. 9, Miller emailed with Hamilton, Zadrozny, and the White House’s John Walk about the administration’s response to a federal judge’s preliminary injunction preventing the Trump administration from rolling back DACA.

On Jan. 11, Miller asked (through his assistant) to talk that day with Scott Lloyd.

Emails exchanged by ICE officials, including Feere, on Jan. 11 and 12 indicate that they were anticipating a visit from someone at the White House, likely Miller.

Lloyd had another call with Miller on Jan. 12. That same day, Jon Lerner, the deputy to UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, emailed with Miller about “Foreign Aid Plan.”

On Jan. 15, in advance of a “noon call,” Miller received a draft report on how many “individuals convicted of international terrorism-related chargers” were “foreign-born.” That day, Miller and Hamilton discussed the joint DHS/DOJ report, to be released the following day. The report was required by a March 2017 executive order.

After Sessions appeared on Fox News on Jan. 16 to discuss the report and promote immigration restrictions, Miller wrote to congratulate him. “Thanks. We have an unassailable message,” Sessions replied.

On Jan. 17, Miller wrote to Hamilton: “Need to talk ASAP.” The next day, the two emailed about statistics related to the DACA program. They talked again the next day.

February 2018

On Feb. 2, Miller organized a “DACA call.’” Gene Hamilton was among the invitees.

On Feb. 6, Miller asked Hahn to “amplify” a press release, sent to them by Hamilton, about charges brought against an undocumented immigrant involved in a fatal car crash. A few days later, Miller sent Hamilton a news story about a shooting suspect who was reportedly a DACA recipient. On Feb. 14, Miller asked Hamilton to call him.

Miller emailed Zadrozny and Feere on Feb. 12. On Feb. 26, Feere shared with, apparently, Miller the resume of a Treasury official with the goal of getting that official a position at the Social Security Administration in order to “help with information-sharing issues.” (On March 10, a response from Miller says, “Adding [redacted] to make it happen with SSA.”)

On Feb. 20, Hamilton shared with Miller the legal definition of “public charge.” The next year, the administration would unveil a new rule, pushed by Miller, that would make it harder for poor immigrants or those the government deemed likely to become dependent on public assistance to obtain green cards.

Through at least part of February and March, Hamilton organized a “Daily Immigration Call” that included Miller.

March 2018

On March 6, the White House’s Marc Short organized an “immigration call” with Miller, Hamilton, and DHS’s Jonathan Hoffman and Chad Wolf. This meeting also appears on Wolf’s calendar.

Miller received an email on March 8 from Feere, with the subject line “Ask from Director Homan.”

On March 9, Miller asked Hamilton to call him. On March 12, Miller ordered Hamilton to work with DOJ spokeswoman Sarah Flores “to find a way to get the word out that DOJ supports this policy item.” Any indication of the item in question has been redacted.

On March 14, Hamilton sent Miller a DOJ press office roundup of “opioid, immigration and violent crime releases,” saying that “it was the first time [the Office of Public Affairs] has sent something like this out. Miller replied, “Excellent.”

Miller exchanged emails with Paul Ryan staffer Casey Higgins on March 17. An email exchange about “Omnibus language” with Higgins and staffers from the White House, the Labor Department, and DHS. On the same day, he asked Department of Labor counselor Paul Ray to call him.

On March 20, Hamilton wrote to Miller that “over 245,000 criminal aliens have been booked into local Texas Jails between June 1, 2011 and February 28, 2018.” Miller responded: “Publicize.” Similar statistics from Texas were prominently featured in a joint DOJ and DHS “Alien Incarceration Report” a few weeks later.

On March 22, Miller, then-White House Chief of Staff John Kelly, and Wolf met at the Oval Office to discuss the omnibus spending bill.

Feere emailed Miller, Zadrozny and Special Assistant to the President Theo Wold about missing a meeting on March 23.

On March 25, Miller emailed with Gene Hamilton about a statute that could allow the administration to collect fines from some people who were in the country without documents. Miller wrote a couple of days later, “So the fines and penalties can PAY for wall construction?”

Earlier that day, Miller had emailed Hamilton to ask, “What is the statute and relevant [executive order] text on returning asylum seekers to transit countries while awaiting adjudication?” The question appears to be a precursor to the administration’s controversial Migrant Protection Protocols, also known as the Remain in Mexico policy, which forces migrants applying for asylum at the U.S. border to wait in Mexico, often in unsafe conditions without a proper notification system in place. After Hamilton replied, Miller told him that “Jon is working on it,” likely a reference to Jon Feere at ICE.

Miller and Feere emailed about “border initiatives” on March 27.

On March 27, Miller forwarded to Hamilton an inquiry to White House staffer Julia Hahn from the Daily Caller regarding the immigration status of “recently arrested Iraqi parents who allegedly poured hot oil on their daughter.” The next day, Miller and Hamilton arranged a call, and later the afternoon, Miller asked Hahn about the immigration status of alleged gang members charged with murder in Nevada. She forwarded the inquiry to Hamilton.

On March 28, Miller, Kelly, Nielsen, then-White House Counsel Don McGahn, then-CBP chief Kevin McAleenan, and senior official Chad Wolf met at the Oval Office to discuss border security. That same day, Feere emailed Miller and other officials about a news story about an undocumented immigrant charged in a fatal hit-and-run.

On March 29, Miller asked Hamilton if he could “find a good place” for Trevor Whetstone, a DOJ detailee to the White House, whose detail was coming to an end. The next day, Miller added, “It should be something that touches on border security law enforcement narcotics so he can stay part of the team.” Miller asked Hamilton to call him about Whetstone “and a few substantive items.”

On March 31, a USTR official emailed Miller to say that he had “a terrific candidate for the DHS job.” Miller responded, “Terrific. Please send me his resume if you can.” It is not clear to which DHS job they were referring.

April 2018

On April 4, Miller asked Hamilton to call him. On April 7, Miller participated in an exchange on “Flores Regulations” with Hamilton, Zadrozny, and Wetmore. On April 8, Miller asked Hamilton to touch base with “Kevin M,” likely CBP Commissioner McAleenan. The next day, he confirmed that Hamilton had “talked with CBP.”

On April 9, HHS Secretary Alex Azar had a call with Miller.

On April 10, Miller asked Hamilton to call him. That evening, Cissna emailed his top staffers, “I can tell you about my call with [redacted] in the morning. I can say right now, though [redacted].” Miller’s name is likely concealed under one of the redactions. The next day, Miller again asked Hamilton if he had “talked to Kevin,” likely McAleenan.

On April 14, a White House staffer sent Nikki Haley’s staff a message from Miller apparently related to Haley’s draft remarks for that day’s emergency session at the UN, which Russia called in response to U.S. airstrikes in Syria.

From April 17 through 24, Miller, Hamilton and others exchanged emails about “Gorsuch,” likely in reference to Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch’s deciding vote striking down a deportation law. On April 24, Miller told a staffer for House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy that Hamilton would send him “language.”

On April 20, Secretary Perdue emailed Miller to ask him whether he had “time to chat briefly” that evening and thank him for a call they had two days before. He said he as “providing some additional information that may be helpful” and that “We want to be helpful.” Miller thanked him, saying it was “very helpful.”

Clovis emailed Miller on April 23 to “update [Miller] on a couple of things.”

U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer participated in a phone call with Miller and Sen. Marco Rubio on April 26.

Lloyd sent emails to Miller and presidential assistant Zadrozny and Miller on April 27.

On April 27, CBP Commissioner McAleenan forwarded Miller an “Immediate Support Request” that he had sent to redacted recipients. Miller replied, “Thank you. I will follow-up.”

On April 30, Miller responded “Thanks!” to a Justice Department press release forwarded by Hamilton regarding the prosecution of members of the so-called migrant “caravan.”

May 2018

In response to a May 2 press release on the Justice Department hiring additional immigration prosecutors and judges, Miller told Hamilton, “Tremendous. Make sure to do lots of press on this.”

Interior Department Chief of Staff Scott Hommel’s calendars include a May 3 call with Miller.

On May 4, Miller emailed McAleenan: “Bonding could lead to improvements that pay dividends for 100 years.” He asked if McAleenan had emailed an individual whose name is redacted.

On May 5, Miller forwarded to Hamilton an email from Maria Espinoza, leader of the anti-immigration group the Remembrance Project, about a 28-year-old murder case allegedly involving an undocumented immigrant.

On May 9, Miller asked Hamilton to call him.

On May 15, Miller exchanged emails with Sessions, who was using the pseudonym “Camden Hybart,” about a meeting on DACA that Sessions had had with then-House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy.

On May 16, Lighthizer had a call with Miller.

On May 25, Hamilton emailed Miller: “I need to talk to you tomorrow afternoon.”

On May 27, 2018, Miller responded to an email chain about “Family Separation,” asking for a “conference call ASAP” with representatives from HHS and with Hamilton. On the email chain, communications officials were discussing, in part, how to respond to recent reporting on the administration’s preparation to hold immigrant children on military bases.

Lloyd’s calendars include a May 27 entry for a conference call with Azar to prep for a call with Miller. That same day, Miller approved a “WH statement on UAC/family separation.”

Also on May 27, Miller and McAleenan set up a phone call. Later in the day, they had an exchange about “D&R status,” possibly a reference to deportations and removals.

On May 28, Miller emailed McAleenan and Wolf in a largely redacted exchange referencing unaccompanied minors from non-contiguous countries. “Until there are removals the crisis will never end,” he wrote.

On May 29, Miller sent an email that said, “From October through December of 2017, only 5 UACs [unaccompanied alien children] were removed from the country while more than 7,000 were released into the interior.”

On May 30, Miller arranged a call with McAleenan.

June 2018

Miller had a call with then-Deputy Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan on June 4.

Also on June 4, DHS senior counselor Brandon Wales wrote to the department’s director of scheduling, “We can not agree to all the WH people at this meeting.” While the exchange is largely redacted, we can guess because of the context of our FOIA request that Miller’s name was mentioned.

Lighthizer was invited to a June 5 meeting to discuss trade messaging with conservative pollster Frank Luntz, Miller, Jared Kushner, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, and White House officials Peter Navarro and Larry Kudlow.

On June 6, Miller and McAleenan arranged a call.

Feere sent Miller contact information for two ICE officials on June 7.

On June 8, Miller, Cissna, Wolf and Mick Mulvaney exchanged several emails on a redacted topic. Separately, Labor Secretary Acosta asked Miller to call him.

On July 14, Miller sent Acosta a Daily Caller story with the headline “Shortage Of Foreign Labor Forces Maine Businesses To Hire Local Workers.” Miller wrote: “Markets work.”

On June 15, Miller sent out a call for “a skilled and experienced staff member to manage the day-to-day operations” of a White House border security task force. Later that day, he emailed McAleenan: “Call me before interview.”

Miller told Hamilton to call him on June 16, and then again on June 18. On June 17, he emailed Hamilton, “Don’t forget to talk to Goodlatte office on last minute DOJ issues in the bill.” On June 18, he told Hamilton, “I hope you call Casey–text just went out to members.” He may have been referring to Casey Higgins, aide to House Speaker Paul Ryan. On June 21, the House rejected a hardline immigration bill introduced by Goodlatte.

On June 19, Lloyd emailed Miller, saying, “I was a little puzzled by your comments.”

On June 20, McAleenan emailed Miller: “Any insight as to the plan?” The next day, they arranged a call.

On June 22, Miller sent a Daily Caller article about a Mexican presidential candidate’s speech in defense of the “human right” of migration to White House Chief of Staff John Kelly, Nielsen, and McAleenan. Kelly responded, “Stay safe.”

On June 23, Miller and Hahn arranged for Hamilton to brief Sen. James Lankford. Hamilton sent the senator a document he compiled on the “Crisis at the Southwest Border,” which included criticism of the government’s ability to detain families at the border, asking him not to attribute it to the Justice Department. In a congressional hearing three days later, Lankford criticized the Flores settlement, which prevented the extended detention of children.

On June 24, Miller wrote to Hamilton: “I have another idea. Call me later if you can.”

On June 26, Miller asked McAleenan to call him, and his assistant requested a meeting with Cissna. The next day, he appears to have asked a question of Hamilton and White House staffers Chad Mizelle, John Zadrozny, and Aram Gavoor in advance of a meeting with “the chief.”

On June 29, Miller forwarded to DHS a complaint from the president of a union representing ICE officers claiming that they were getting the cold shoulder from the White House and ICE management in negotiations.

July 2018

On July 1, Miller requested a meeting with Cissna. The topic of the meeting is redacted but appears to be “the public charge regulation.” Separately, he asked Hamilton to call him.

On July 9, Miller asked Hamilton to call him. The next day, Hamilton sent Miller a preview of “what we were going to say to the Ms. L court today.” (The “Ms. L” case was the ACLU’s challenge to the administration’s family-separation policy.) Two days later, Miller again asked Hamilton to call him. On July 14, the two planned another call.

On July 19, Secretary Perdue emails Miller and Larry Kudlow an article about high enrollment numbers for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

On July 20, Miller was included in an exchange among high-level officials including Kelly and Nielsen on “Asylum Guidance.”

On July 25, Miller forwarded Hamilton an email from David Horowitz, a far-right commentator and Miller’s mentor.

Perdue emailed Miller on July 26 for help getting in touch with the president, saying he “got word from VPOTUS to call The President.”

On July 30, the State Department’s Veprek circulated “Additional content on FY 19 Refugee Numbers for Miller pull aside.” That same day, Miller talked again with Hamilton.

August 2018

On Aug. 3, Miller responded to a draft “July Border Numbers Statement” from CBP. A CBP staffer forwarded Miller’s response to McAleenan, writing, “We already cut out his other edits…” McAleenan replied: “DHS Operational Numbers. Would suggest we have editorial control.”

On Aug, 4, John Kelly sent a reply (redacted) to Miller on the subject of a court ruling on the restoration of DACA. Elsewhere on the email chain, Miller had seemingly complained about the testimony of Commander Jonathan White, a career HHS official who had spoken out against family separations at a congressional hearing a few days earlier.

On Aug. 7, Miller emailed McAleenan to follow up on a “Visa Bond Meeting with CBP Office of Field Ops.” “700k overstays – this is actually an area where we can make a huge difference,” Miller wrote. “Let’s get it done.” He also arranged to call Hamilton; they had another call on Aug. 9, and another on Aug. 14.

White House Senior Adviser Jared Kushner includes Miller on an Aug. 16 email with Secretary Perdue about arranging a meeting.

On Aug. 17, Hamilton wrote to Miller, “We got an order from Judge Sabraw allowing binary choice,” a reference to a court ruling that allowed the administration to give parents a choice between being detained with their children or being separated. Miller replied, “We should discuss.” Later that day, Hamilton sent Miller and Julia Hahn a compilation of the Justice Department’s “MS-13 press releases” for the week. Miller responded: “Social media.”

On Aug. 21, Nikki Haley and her deputy Jon Lerner had an email exchange with the subject line “Stephen Miller.”

On Aug. 28, Hamilton wrote to Miller that Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein “maybe wants to see you” at the White House the next day.

September 2018

On Sept. 5, 2018, Miller was looped into a call that White House staffer May Davis described as aimed at “discussing a pressing [unaccompanied alien children] issue. HHS proposed an adjustment of the MOA until the high numbers can be managed.”

On Sept. 16, Miller engaged in a conversation with State Department officials about a draft statement from Secretary Pompeo on refugee admissions.

On Sept. 18, Hamilton sent Miller information on the limits of immigration judges’ authority to dismiss removal proceedings.

Hamilton sent Miller a document on Sept. 26 titled “Draft Border.”

October 2018

On Oct. 9, Miller sent McAleenan and others an NBC story about ICE’s release of hundreds of migrants without first ensuring the migrants were able to contact relatives and travel to court hearings. McAleenan responded, “FMUAs are averaging 700 a day.”

November 2018

On Nov. 2, Miller and Jon Feere exchanged emails including a link to a news story about an undocumented immigrant accused of murdering his wife. Feere ended the exchange with “Will do.” The next day, the two planned a call.

On Nov. 30, a fellow White House staffer flagged for Miller an email from the State Department’s Veprek.

December 2018

On Dec. 7, the State Department’s Veprek sent Miller a U.S. statement criticizing the U.N. global migration compact.

February 2019

On Feb. 15, Feere and Miller arranged a call. The next day, Feere sent Miller an email with the subject line “Parallels to past national emergency declarations,” quoting from past presidential emergency declarations that “may be instructive in how to approach the current crisis along our borders.” Later that day, he sent Miller links to publications showing that immigrants are less likely than native-born Americans to commit crimes, amid redacted commentary.

March 2019

On March 22, Miller was looped into an email chain with HHS officials about “UAC Bed Space.”

On March 27, Miller sent White House colleague May Davis a reporter’s tweet about 1,350 minors in CBP custody whom HHS couldn’t pick up and place “fast enough,” adding a comment that was redacted. Davis forwarded Miller’s comment to HHS Chief of Staff Brian Harrison with just a question mark.

On March 31, Miller asked to talk with Kimberly Breier, Veprek, and Zadrozny at the State Department.

April 2019

On April 12, Miller asked something of Feere, who replied, “Yes, sir. Will do.”

On April 17, Miller and Chad Wolf exchanged messages following an interagency email chain clearing language on a redacted topic. The next day, they arranged a call. Six days later, on April 23, they planned to talk by phone again.

May 2019

On May 28, Miller emailed Feere: “Need to chat today.”

August 2019

On Aug. 1, Miller emailed Acting CBP Commissioner Mark Morgan a Washington Examiner article with statistics on ICE detainees released to await their court hearings.

On Aug. 8, Miller asked Morgan to call him.

 

La Influencia de Stephen Miller en la Política de Inmigración y a Través de la Administración

La huella del alto funcionario de la Casa Blanca, Stephen Miller, aparece en muchas de las políticas de inmigración más duras de la administración de Trump. Se ven desde la prohibición de viajes hasta la reducción de admisiones para refugiados. American Oversight está investigando como uno de los consejeros más fieles y duradero de Trump ha dado forma a las posiciones más rígidas de esta administración, y como él y sus aliados se han insertado a sí mismos en agencias a través del gobierno. 

El Contexto

Trabajando silenciosamente y evitando hábilmente ser mencionado en los rastros de papeles de otras agencias, el consejero a la Casa Blanca Stephen Miller ha permanecido uno de los ayudantes más influyentes del Presidente Donald Trump. Él ha sido el arquitecto de la prohibición de viaje contra ciudadanos de países de mayoría musulmana, un defensor de la separación familiar como parte de la política cero tolerancia, un promotor de la reducción de admisiones de refugiados, y un partidario de reglas que permitirían al gobierno a negar permisos de residencia a inmigrantes que consideran probable de usar asistencia pública. 

Informes también indican que él no solo tiene la atención del presidente, si no también tiene designados, que él ha seleccionado cuidadosamente, en varias agencias a través del gobierno que comparten el mismo punto de vista que él y una postura firme en cuanto a inmigración. Un artículo en Vanity Fair en agosto de 2018 dijo que él ha instalado designados que están “lo suficientemente alto para saber todo, pero no lo suficientemente alto para llamar la atención pública, o para necesitar confirmación del Senado.” Y en agosto de 2019, el Washington Post reportó que a veces, él “sorprende a empleados de nivel bajo con llamadas en que los urge a implementar sus ideas.” 

A lo largo de sus años de influencia, según se informa, Miller raramente pone sus ideas por escrito, y “evita los correos electrónicos en favor a llamadas telefónicas,” como el Post reportó, con comunicaciones de sus aliados “a menudo vistas como una expresión de los deseos de Miller.” Pero su uso mínimo de correo electrónico no ha parado a American Oversight de investigar su peso político. Hemos presentado demandas de la Ley de Libertad de Información a través del gobierno federal para obtener comunicaciones de Miller o sus aliados cercanos. Detallamos a continuación los documentos que hemos recibido que se refieren a reuniones o comunicaciones con Miller, comenzando con los primeros días de la administración de Trump.

Línea de Tiempo

Enero de 2017

Miller fue incluido en correspondencia entre la Casa Blanca y la Oficina del Representante de Comercio de EEUU (USTR). Las comunicaciones, a lo largo de varios meses, se pueden encontrar aquí, y demuestran las conexiones de Miller con oficiales de USTR, Payne Griffin y Christopher Jackson.

Febrero de 2017

Una pregunta registrada del Congreso para un candidato al Departamento de Justicia presunto que Miller llamó a un abogado del Distrito del Este de Nueva York para decirle cómo defender la prohibición de viajes. 

Marzo de 2017

El 2 de marzo, Ivanka Trump (usando su correo electrónico personal), Miller y otros oficiales intercambiaron comunicaciones sobre la política del cuidado familiar.

Los calendarios del oficial del EPA Ryan Jackson demuestran un almuerzo que se llevo a cabo el 17 de marzo con Miller y ex-administrador del EPA Scott Pruitt. Los calendarios de Pruitt indican que la reunión fue para discutir la “Agenda Climática” y también incluye a McLaurine Klingler y Robert Gabriel de la Casa Blanca. 

Junio de 2017

El 29 de junio, ex-secretario de Trabajo Alex Acosta tuvo una reunión con Miller y John Zadrozny, el asistente especial al presidente. 

Agosto de 2017

El oficial de la Casa Blanca Peter Navarro incluyó a Miller en una solicitud para una reunión sobre las ofertas para construir el muro fronterizo.

Septiembre de 2017

El 1 de septiembre, Scott Lloyd, ex-director de la Oficina de Reasentamiento de Refugiados del Departamento de Salud y Servicios Sociales (o HHS en inglés), compartió un informe sobre el programa de”niños extranjeros no acompañados” que Miller pidió. 

Secretario de Agricultura Sonny Perdue tuvo una reunión con Miller el 25 de septiembre. 

Octubre de 2017

El 5 de octubre, Perdue tuvo una llamada con Miller. 

Más tarde en ese mes, en el 30 de octubre, Acosta tuvo una llamada con Miller.

Diciembre de 2017

Scott Lloyd de HHS tuvo una reunión con Miller en la oficina de Miller el 1 de diciembre para discutir “niños extranjeros no acompañados.”

Enero de 2018

Lloyd tuvo otra llamada con Miller el 12 de enero.

Marzo de 2018

En una llamada sobre inmigración el 6 de marzo en el calendario del alto funcionario de DHS Chad Wolf aparece el apellido “Miller” como un participante. No hay un primer nombre, pero es probable que se refiere a Stephen Miller.

El 22 de marzo, Miller, el ex-Jefe de Gabinete de la Casa Blanca John Kelly, y Wolf tuvieron una reunión en el despacho oval para discutir la e ley de gastos generales.

El 28 de marzo, Miller, Kelly, Nielsen, el ex-abogado de la Casa Blanca Don McGahn, y el ex-jefe de CBP Kevin McAleenan, y el alto funcionario Chad Wolf tuvieron una reunión en el despacho oval para discutir la seguridad fronteriza.

Abril de 2018

El 9 de abril, el Secretario de HHS Alex Azar tuvo una llamada con Miller.

El representante Comercio de EEUU Robert Lighthizer participó en una llamada con Miller y el Senador Marco Rubio el 26 de abril. 

Lloyd envió correos electrónicos a Miller y al asistente presidencial Zadrozny el 27 de abril. 

Mayo de 2018

Los calendarios del Jefe de Gabinete del Departamento de Interior Scott Hommel incluye una llamada con Miller el 3 de mayo.

El 16 de mayo, Lighthizer tuvo una llamada con Miller.

Los calendarios de Lloyd incluyen una conferencia telefónica con Azar para preparación para una llamada con Miller.

Junio de 2018

El 19 de junio, Lloyd le envió un correo electrónico a Miller, diciendo, “Me quedé un poco perplejo por tus comentarios.” 

Lighthizer fue invitado a una reunión el 5 de junio para discutir el mensaje y plan de comunicación sobre el comercio con un encuestador conservativo Frank Lutz además de Miller, Jared Kushner, el Secretario de Tesoro Steven Mnuchin, y oficiales de la Casa Blanca Peter Navarro y Larry Kudlow.