Trump gives Miller key role as immigration takes forefront

WASHINGTON — President-elect Donald Trump is moving quickly to install immigration hardliners into prominent White House posts, suggesting his promise to implement sweeping new restrictions on migration and launch a mass deportation program could take priority in the first days of his new administration.

Trump plans to name longtime aide Stephen Miller as White House deputy chief of staff for policy, according to vice president-elect JD Vance, who congratulated Miller and credited Trump with a “fantastic pick” in a social media post. The appointment was first reported by CNN.

Miller will serve under Susie Wiles, who ran Trump’s campaign, and alongside Tom Homan, who the president-elect announced would serve as “border czar” in a weekend social media post.

Miller, who served as a senior adviser during Trump’s first term, was the chief architect of his controversial travel ban. In recent years, his America First Legal nonprofit has mounted challenges to corporate diversity, equality, and inclusion efforts.

Here’s everything happening with Trump’s transition:

Musk questions Stefanik

Billionaire Trump supporter Elon Musk questioned the president-elect’s decision to appoint New York congresswoman Elise Stefanik as his ambassador to the United Nations, noting that Republicans are unlikely to hold more than a slim majority in the House.

“Elise is awesome, but it might be too dicey to lose her from the House, at least for now,” Musk tweeted early Monday morning.

Republicans struggled over the past congressional term to manage their House caucus with a razor-thin majority as defectors paralyzed the chamber and prompted multiple leadership battles. House Speaker Mike Johnson will need to navigate those conflicts again, and do so without the assistance of Stefanik, a Trump loyalist who serves as the fourth-ranking GOP official in the chamber.

Homan defiant

Hours after being named border czar by Trump, Homan appeared on Fox News and discounted criticism over policies he implemented during the president-elect’s first term that separated undocumented migrant children from their family members.

“I don’t care what people think about me. Especially on the left,” Homan said, noting that aggressive measures were necessary “when you have a crisis this big.”

Homan said he was hopeful that local law enforcement would assist federal authorities in Trump’s promised deportation efforts.

“We’re going to do this job, with or without you,” Homan said.

Leadership battle

Senator Rick Scott, the Florida lawmaker vying to replace Mitch McConnell as Senate Republican Leader, looked to boost his candidacy with an appearance on Fox News on Monday morning. Scott said that he was hopeful Trump would weigh in on the leadership battle, where Scott is squaring off against John Thune of South Dakota and John Cornyn of Texas.

“The country voted they want a change. They want the Trump agenda. They want his nominees. They want his policies. We’ve got to do everything we can to get that done,” he said.

Scott has the key endorsement of some Trump allies — including Musk — who believe he would help fast-track the president-elect’s agenda in the upper chamber. But Trump has not yet weighed in, saying just that he wanted the next majority leader to agree to allow temporary presidential appointments when the Senate was not in session.

Scott, a former for-profit healthcare executive and the wealthiest sitting senator, said that experience would benefit him in the leadership post.

“I’m a business guy that had success doing exactly what we need to do in the Senate,” Scott said.

DOJ warning

Trump transition official Mark Paoletta on Monday warned career lawyers at the Justice Department that they “would be subject to disciplinary measures, including termination” if they decline to implement the president-elect’s agenda.

Justice Department officials may be tasked with preparing pardons for those convicted of crimes related to the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection, helping to abolish DEI initiatives, and helping to ease energy regulations, Paoletta, an attorney who previously served as general counsel in the Office and Management and Budget during Trump’s first term, posted on X.

“Hopefully, they will be as committed to helping President Trump implement his agenda as they did for President Biden. Of course, political leadership welcomes feedback to help improve a project. But once the decision is made to move forward, career employees are required to implement the President’s plan,” he continued.