The President-elect has named Stephen Miller and Thomas Homan for leadership roles in his administration. Mr. Miller has been named Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy and will be the president’s homeland security advisor. Mr. Homan has been given the role of Border Czar. Neither of these Trump appointments require congressional confirmation. Both men continue to be staunch supporters of Trump’s immigration outlook.

Mr. Miller was a key advisor to Trump in his previous administration. Further, he was a leading architect of Trump’s immigration policies from 2017 to 2021, including the zero-tolerance policy, which involved separating children from their parents. Following Trump’s first presidency, Mr. Miller was a founder of America First Legal, a non-profit focused on conservative causes, filing hundreds of lawsuits to limit President Biden’s policies.

Mr. Homan is a former Border Patrol chief and acting Immigration and Customs Enforcement director in Trump’s first presidency. In his role as Border Czar, he will oversee the southern and northern U.S. borders, and all maritime and aviation security. Further, he will oversee deportations of individuals in the country without a legal status. Mr. Homan was one of the leading designers of the zero-tolerance policy, under which 5,500 children of immigrants were separated from their parents the U.S.-Mexico border in 2018. As of April 2024, the Department of Homeland Security reports 1,401 children are still awaiting reunification. Currently, under a court settlement, families cannot be separated until December 2031. Whether these Trump appointments see a return to similar policies or not remains to be seen, however, preparation is key.

Trump has repeatedly stated he will enact the largest deportation in U.S. history. There are an estimated 11 million individuals in the U.S. without a legal status. How this deportation process will be carried out is unknown at this time.

As always, ILBSG actively monitors ongoing news as it related to U.S. immigration. If you have questions about any U.S. immigration related issue, contact us. Our clients work directly with an attorney to ensure they get the right advice for their specific situation.

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