A heated exchange occurred Monday between White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller and a reporter regarding the Trump administration’s immigration policies, specifically the deportation of three mothers accompanied by their U.S. citizen children to Honduras.
The reporter questioned the allocation of resources, suggesting that deporting mothers with young children was not the most effective use of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) funds, especially given the administration’s request for increased congressional funding for additional detention beds.
Miller responded by challenging the reporter’s perspective on the number of undocumented immigrants who should be allowed to remain in the United States. He referenced the previous Biden administration, stating, “Let’s say he released 10 million illegal aliens into the country over the last 4 years. What percentage do you think we should let stay here of those 10 million? … Is it your view that if a Democrat president allows 10, 15, 20 million illegals into the country, they should stay here forever and for all of life?”
READ: BRIEFING: Border Czar Tom Homan Targets Sanctuary Cities, Prioritizes Child Protection
When the reporter hesitated, Miller asserted that all undocumented immigrants who entered the U.S. during the previous administration should be deported.
He emphasized the administration’s stance, stating, “ICE is gonna continue to focus on raids against high criminal aliens. We’re going to use the entire force and power of the federal government to get them all home. Many will also choose to leave voluntarily and take advantage of the [Customs and Border Protection] home app. But we’re not gonna ask taxpayers to subsidize the presence of a single illegal alien in this country.”
The issue of the U.S. citizen children accompanying their deported mothers was also addressed. Media outlets had raised concerns about the legality of deporting U.S. citizens, citing the 14th Amendment.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Border Czar Tom Homan clarified that while the children have a right to U.S. citizenship, the decision to travel with their mothers was a personal choice made by the families.
READ: Rubio Disputes “Misleading” Reports Of U.S. Citizen Children’s Deportation
Miller further criticized the “catch and release” policy, which the Trump administration has replaced. He argued that it is impossible to accurately assess the potential danger posed by undocumented immigrants, justifying the decision to detain all those apprehended.
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