Trump is filling his White House with immigration hardliners
Tom Homan and Stephen Miller are on their way to the White House, where they are anticipated to have significant authority in monitoring how government officials carry out Trump's immigration agenda.
TroibNews 
President-elect Donald Trump is poised to appoint immigration hawks to two significant White House positions that do not require Senate confirmation, allowing them to implement his ambitious immigration agenda throughout the federal government.
Tom Homan, designated as the "border czar," and Stephen Miller, slated to be the deputy White House chief of staff for policy, will not officially head any government divisions, but they are expected to exert considerable influence over cabinet secretaries and agency leaders. Their roles will likely be seen as direct representatives of the president, tasked with advocating for specific initiatives and monitoring the progress of Trump's policies.
Their responsibilities will encompass some of Trump's most significant immigration promises within the Department of Homeland Security, including mass deportations, increasing immigration detention capacity, and hiring thousands of border agents.
Additionally, they are anticipated to become involved with the Department of Health and Human Services, which is responsible for refugee resettlement and unaccompanied migrant children, as well as the Labor Department, which manages essential certifications for certain employment-based visa programs. The State Department, which oversees visa issuance, and the Justice Department, which operates immigration courts, will also be areas of focus.
The expected appointments of Homan and Miller indicate Trump's intention to fulfill his promise of mass deportations. The Trump transition team did not respond promptly to a request for comment.
Homan previously led the DHS division accountable for the arrest, detention, and deportation of undocumented immigrants. His career has been largely dedicated to immigration enforcement, holding leadership roles at Immigration and Customs Enforcement during both the Obama and Trump administrations.
Miller has spent over a decade in Washington advocating for reduced legal immigration and increased deportations. He was an early supporter of Trump's 2016 presidential campaign and has remained closely allied with the president throughout subsequent challenges.
“Trump is clearly being far more deliberate about how he’s making his appointments and spending his time working with people he knows and trusts,” noted Daniel Stein, president of the Federation for American Immigration Reform, an organization that promotes increased immigration restrictions.
Homan and Miller both supported Trump during his campaign, and Trump pledged to hire Homan if he won the election. They were involved in Trump’s family separation policy during his first term. Their swift appointment to significant White House positions — among the first personnel choices Trump has made for his second administration — illustrates immigration enforcement as Trump's primary focus.
Homan has consistently advocated for strict immigration enforcement, remaining resolute despite criticism over policies like family separation. When questioned by a 60 Minutes interviewer about whether mass deportation could be executed without separating families, Homan asserted that it could. “Families can be deported together,” he said.
Miller played an influential role at Trump’s now-infamous closing campaign rally at Madison Square Garden. “In nine days, your rescue is coming,” he proclaimed at the October event. “In nine days, your salvation is at hand. In nine days, Donald J. Trump is going to go back to the White House.” Now, Miller and Homan are accompanying him.
Despite many of Trump’s former senior officials distancing themselves from him — including ex-defense secretary Mark Esper, former DHS secretary and White House chief of staff John Kelly, and former national security adviser John Bolton — Homan and Miller have remained unrepentant. “I’m hated by a big part of this country, and frankly, I don’t give a shit,” Homan expressed in July at the Republican National Convention. “I just don’t because if they wore my shoes for 34 years they would understand me, and a lot of them would agree with me.”
A significant question remains: How much influence will they truly have?
“The question there is not what Homan’s appointment tells us, but whether Homan will actually be able to make a difference,” remarked Mark Krikorian of the Center for Immigration Studies, an organization advocating for reduced legal immigration and stricter enforcement of immigration laws. “That kind of czar job has real challenges,” given its vague nature and broad authority, he added.
Immigration restrictionists are also closely monitoring the influence of figures like Elon Musk and other Silicon Valley leaders to see if they attempt to influence the White House’s stance on H-1B visas and the influx of foreign-born workers in technology and other industries. “It probably won’t in the immediate future because they’re going to have their hands full [with the border], but down the road there could be problems,” Krikorian noted.
On the other hand, immigrant rights advocates anticipate significant action from the incoming administration and express deep concerns as Trump intensifies his efforts. “What we know from his prior work and his recent comments is he supports a punitive, harsh and cruel agenda of enforcement of civil immigration law,” stated Nayna Gupta, policy director for the American Immigration Council. “He will use rhetoric about public safety to play on people’s fears to build support for an agenda that imposes pain and suffering on immigrant communities and undermines the best interest of the United States.”
Sanya Singh contributed to this report for TROIB News
Tom Homan, designated as the "border czar," and Stephen Miller, slated to be the deputy White House chief of staff for policy, will not officially head any government divisions, but they are expected to exert considerable influence over cabinet secretaries and agency leaders. Their roles will likely be seen as direct representatives of the president, tasked with advocating for specific initiatives and monitoring the progress of Trump's policies.
Their responsibilities will encompass some of Trump's most significant immigration promises within the Department of Homeland Security, including mass deportations, increasing immigration detention capacity, and hiring thousands of border agents.
Additionally, they are anticipated to become involved with the Department of Health and Human Services, which is responsible for refugee resettlement and unaccompanied migrant children, as well as the Labor Department, which manages essential certifications for certain employment-based visa programs. The State Department, which oversees visa issuance, and the Justice Department, which operates immigration courts, will also be areas of focus.
The expected appointments of Homan and Miller indicate Trump's intention to fulfill his promise of mass deportations. The Trump transition team did not respond promptly to a request for comment.
Homan previously led the DHS division accountable for the arrest, detention, and deportation of undocumented immigrants. His career has been largely dedicated to immigration enforcement, holding leadership roles at Immigration and Customs Enforcement during both the Obama and Trump administrations.
Miller has spent over a decade in Washington advocating for reduced legal immigration and increased deportations. He was an early supporter of Trump's 2016 presidential campaign and has remained closely allied with the president throughout subsequent challenges.
“Trump is clearly being far more deliberate about how he’s making his appointments and spending his time working with people he knows and trusts,” noted Daniel Stein, president of the Federation for American Immigration Reform, an organization that promotes increased immigration restrictions.
Homan and Miller both supported Trump during his campaign, and Trump pledged to hire Homan if he won the election. They were involved in Trump’s family separation policy during his first term. Their swift appointment to significant White House positions — among the first personnel choices Trump has made for his second administration — illustrates immigration enforcement as Trump's primary focus.
Homan has consistently advocated for strict immigration enforcement, remaining resolute despite criticism over policies like family separation. When questioned by a 60 Minutes interviewer about whether mass deportation could be executed without separating families, Homan asserted that it could. “Families can be deported together,” he said.
Miller played an influential role at Trump’s now-infamous closing campaign rally at Madison Square Garden. “In nine days, your rescue is coming,” he proclaimed at the October event. “In nine days, your salvation is at hand. In nine days, Donald J. Trump is going to go back to the White House.” Now, Miller and Homan are accompanying him.
Despite many of Trump’s former senior officials distancing themselves from him — including ex-defense secretary Mark Esper, former DHS secretary and White House chief of staff John Kelly, and former national security adviser John Bolton — Homan and Miller have remained unrepentant. “I’m hated by a big part of this country, and frankly, I don’t give a shit,” Homan expressed in July at the Republican National Convention. “I just don’t because if they wore my shoes for 34 years they would understand me, and a lot of them would agree with me.”
A significant question remains: How much influence will they truly have?
“The question there is not what Homan’s appointment tells us, but whether Homan will actually be able to make a difference,” remarked Mark Krikorian of the Center for Immigration Studies, an organization advocating for reduced legal immigration and stricter enforcement of immigration laws. “That kind of czar job has real challenges,” given its vague nature and broad authority, he added.
Immigration restrictionists are also closely monitoring the influence of figures like Elon Musk and other Silicon Valley leaders to see if they attempt to influence the White House’s stance on H-1B visas and the influx of foreign-born workers in technology and other industries. “It probably won’t in the immediate future because they’re going to have their hands full [with the border], but down the road there could be problems,” Krikorian noted.
On the other hand, immigrant rights advocates anticipate significant action from the incoming administration and express deep concerns as Trump intensifies his efforts. “What we know from his prior work and his recent comments is he supports a punitive, harsh and cruel agenda of enforcement of civil immigration law,” stated Nayna Gupta, policy director for the American Immigration Council. “He will use rhetoric about public safety to play on people’s fears to build support for an agenda that imposes pain and suffering on immigrant communities and undermines the best interest of the United States.”
Sanya Singh contributed to this report for TROIB News
