Stephen Miller, an immigration hardliner and adviser to Trump, is taking over policy planning for the transition and is expected to be named deputy chief of staff in his administration, people briefed on the matter said on Monday.
And late on Sunday, Trump announced on social media that Thomas Homan, the acting director of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency during Trump’s first term, would be his “border czar.”
It remains to be seen how broad Miller’s portfolio will be, but it is expected to be vast and to far exceed what the eventual title will convey, according to the people briefed on the matter. A Trump spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Miller also did not respond to a message seeking comment. Miller’s views are favored by Trump’s hard-line base. Vice President-elect JD Vance and Donald Trump Jr., who has been influential in the transition, praised the prospective choice on X.
The expected move was reported earlier by CNN.
Trump has talked repeatedly since 2023 about his plans for the largest deportation effort in the country’s history. Among the only potential restraints on those efforts might be negative media coverage, such as the kind he faced when his first administration enacted the policy of separating children from their parents during unauthorized border crossings. Homan was an ardent supporter of that policy.Miller is expected to work closely with Homan to oversee the planned deportations, as well as the nation’s maritime and aviation security. In an interview with “60 Minutes” that aired on CBS in October, Homan described “targeted arrests” and workplace enforcements when asked about the deportation plan. “It’s not OK to enter a country illegally, which is a crime,” he said. “That’s what drives illegal immigration, when there’s no consequences.” Miller was an influential aide in Trump’s first term and has remained an important adviser and speechwriter. He has been involved in Trump’s early transition planning meetings since their election victory last Tuesday and is expected to play a key role in staffing the government-especially regarding roles that intersect with immigration policy.
