White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem demanded immigration agents significantly increase daily arrests to 3,000 in a “tense” meeting last week, according to a report.
Miller, President Donald Trump’s top adviser and architect of the administration’s aggressive immigration policies, and Noem told agents they needed to up daily arrests and deportations during the meeting at Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s headquarters in Washington, D.C. on May 21, according to Axios.
The figure is approximately triple the number of daily arrests that ICE agents were making at the beginning of the Trump administration, the outlet noted.
The administration deported 17,000 people in April, according to ICE, that is a 29 percent increase over April 2024, according to NBC News.
While Noem took a “milder approach” during the meeting, Miller adopted a “harsh” tone with agents and “had people leaving the meeting feeling their jobs could be in jeopardy if the new targets aren’t reached,” according to Axios.
Stephen Miller, President Donald Trump’s top adviser and architect of the administration’s aggressive immigration policies, and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem told agents they needed to up daily arrests and deportations during the meeting at Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s headquarters. (AP)
It is not the first time Miller has “yelled” at senior officials about getting arrest numbers up, sources told the outlet.
“Keeping President Trump’s promise to deport illegal aliens is something the administration takes seriously,” White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson said in a statement to The Independent. “We are committed to aggressively and efficiently removing illegal aliens from the United States, and ensuring our law enforcement officers have the resources necessary to do so. The safety of the American people depends upon it.”
The Independent contacted the Department of Homeland Security for further comment.
Miller and Noem’s push comes as the Trump administration has touted the largest mass deportation effort in American history. Fewer people are attempting to cross the border into the U.S. since Trump took office.
Miller adopted a ‘harsh’ tone with agents and ‘had people leaving the meeting feeling their jobs could be in jeopardy if the new targets aren’t reached.’ (Getty Images)
There are almost 49,000 people in ICE custody, government data from early May shows.
Unidentified agents with ICE and other federal agencies have made arrests inside and outside courthouses across the country in recent days, from Washington state to Virginia.
The American Immigration Lawyers Association says the incidents are a “flagrant betrayal of basic fairness and due process” for people who are simply following the rules.
“Immigration courts are being weaponized, judges are coordinating with ICE to dismiss cases and immediately funnel individuals into the fast-track deportation pipeline known as expedited removal,” the group said.
“These are not fugitives,” the group added. “They are individuals, many who are seeking protection from torture in their countries, complying with the law.”