White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller reportedly slammed ICE leadership for not meeting deportation quotas, dismissing their arguments about focusing on migrants with criminal records.
The episode took place during a tense meeting on May 20, according to the Washington Examiner. Days later, two top officials left their posts.
The outlet detailed that ICE's 25 Enforcement Removal Operations (ERO) field office directors and 25 Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) went to the Washington D.C. headquarters to meet with Miller, who "eviscerated everyone" there, according to an official who spoke with some in the room that day.
The source went on to describe that, when told that agencies were focusing on migrants with criminal records, he asked those present why they were not at "Home Depot" or "7-Eleven." After an agent stood up and said ICE was targeting people with criminal records as after the White House and DHS publicly messaged about the focus, Miller reportedly said "what do you mean you're going after criminals?"
ICE spokesman Laszlo Baksay told the outlet that the statements attributed to Miller were "inaccurate" and that he "did not say many of the things you state."
Regardless, two top ICE officials left their posts a little over a week after the meeting. One of them is ERO head Kenneth Genalo, who will be retiring. Moreover, Robert Hammer will stop being the head of HSI and is set the be reassigned to another post within the agency.
Miller also confirmed to Fox News that he wants to significantly expand the amount of arrests taking place. "Under President Trump's leadership, we are looking to set a goal of a minimum of 3,000 arrests for ICE every day, and President Trump is going to keep pushing to get that number up higher each and every single day, so we can get all of the Biden illegals that were flooded into our country for four years out of our country," Miller said.
In this context, the Trump administration is reportedly set to send hundreds of border agents to the U.S. interior to help ICE counterparts. CBS News reported that the effort is expected to involve around 500 agents, including some tasked with intercepting the unlawful entry of migrants and drugs. It is expected to start as early as this week.
The administration has already tapped agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the DEA, the FBI and the IRS to help ICE with its tasks. The outlet added that DHS officials have also asked the Pentagon to allow tens of thousands of National Guard troops to be involved as well.
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