Trump names first political picks with a focus on immigration – DW – November 11, 2024

US President-elect Donald Trump appointed a number of loyalists to his new administration on Monday, including naming long-time adviser Stephen Miller as his deputy political chief.

The appointments reflect the new Trump administration’s tough stance against illegal immigration.

Long-time advisor is appointed political boss

Miller has been one of Trump’s longest-serving advisers since his first campaign for the White House.

He has been instrumental in many of Trump’s previous policy decisions, including a move in 2018 to separate thousands of immigrant families as a deterrence program.

Since leaving the White House at the end of Trump’s first term, Miller has served as president of America First Legal – a conservative organization that challenges the Biden administration, the media, universities and other groups on issues such as free speech and national security.

“This is another fantastic presidential choice,” Vice President-elect JD Vance said on social media.

Former ICE chief becomes next “border czar”

Trump also announced that he had appointed a former acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) as his “border czar,” a position that does not require Senate approval.

“I am pleased to announce that former ICE Director and trusted border enforcement expert Tom Homan is joining the Trump Administration and will be in charge of our nation’s borders,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

Trump added that Homan “will be responsible for all deportations of illegal immigrants to their country of origin.”

Homan served as acting director of ICE from 2017 to 2018.

Speaking at the National Conservatism Conference in Washington earlier this year, Homan promised to conduct “the largest deportation operation this country has ever seen” if Trump were re-elected.

Trump loyalist to represent Washington at the United Nations

Trump also picked New York Congresswoman Elise Stefanik to be the next U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.

Stefanik took her seat in 2014 and in the years that followed became one of Trump’s staunchest allies in the House, vigorously defending him in both his two impeachment trials and his four criminal indictments.

Stefanik has minimal foreign policy and national security experience but has been a vocal supporter of Israel in its war against Hamas in Gaza.

“Elise is an incredibly strong, tough and smart America First fighter,” Trump said in a statement on Monday.

It was his first appointment requiring Senate confirmation.

zc/lo (AP, AFP)