Was Stephen Miller Behind Kirstjen Nielsen’s Ouster?
Stephen Miller Image by Getty Images
Former Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen’s departure was part of an overhaul in the DHS, directed by Stephen Miller, one of President Trump’s top advisers, CBS News reported.
Nielsen tweeted on Sunday that she “agreed to stay on as Secretary through Wednesday, April 10th” to ensure that there is a smooth transition in the Department of Homeland Security. It is unclear whether Nielsen is leaving on her own accord, or whether there was pressure for her to leave her position.
I have agreed to stay on as Secretary through Wednesday, April 10th to assist with an orderly transition and ensure that key DHS missions are not impacted.
— Sec. Kirstjen Nielsen (@SecNielsen) April 8, 2019
The move was organized by Miller, according to a senior U.S. official. The Jewish aide is known for his hardline stance on immigration — despite his own family history.
He suggested cutting the refugee program even lower, allowing 25,000 to enter the country rather than the initial agreed-upon ceiling of 45,000, and was the face of the controversial travel ban last summer. He even claimed it was a “simple decision” to separate families at the border.
Trump reportedly looked to Miller in the weeks leading up the midterm elections for immigration-related tactics, in hopes of ensuring Republicans’ vote.
Adriana Freedman contributed reporting.
Alyssa Fisher is a writer at the Forward. Email her at [email protected], or follow her on Twitter at @alyssalfisher
I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning journalism this Passover.
In this age of misinformation, our work is needed like never before. We report on the news that matters most to American Jews, driven by truth, not ideology.
At a time when newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall. That means for the first time in our 126-year history, Forward journalism is free to everyone, everywhere. With an ongoing war, rising antisemitism, and a flood of disinformation that may affect the upcoming election, we believe that free and open access to Jewish journalism is imperative.
Readers like you make it all possible. Right now, we’re in the middle of our Passover Pledge Drive and we still need 300 people to step up and make a gift to sustain our trustworthy, independent journalism.
Make a gift of any size and become a Forward member today. You’ll support our mission to tell the American Jewish story fully and fairly.
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO
Join our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
Only 300 more gifts needed by April 30
