Stephen Miller leads push to accelerate removal of migrant children

Stephen Miller, a White House deputy chief of staff, is leading a multi-agency effort to accelerate the removal of undocumented immigrant children from the US, using tactics critics describe as cruel, racist, and potentially violating federal law. Nearly 200,000 children have been ordered removed since January 2025, doubling prior court orders. The effort involves at least five cabinet-level departments, including Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, and Justice, with Miller pressing subordinates daily to maximize removals. Critics allege the administration is dismantling safeguards protecting children, sharing confidential files between agencies, and rushing children through asylum and court proceedings without adequate legal representation, often targeting those fleeing danger in Central America The White House frames the initiative as an anti-trafficking effort, claiming children are reunited with families in home countries. However, experts dispute this, noting many children fled threats or sought to join relatives in the US, and the administration has defunded attorneys for over 20,000 children while restricting sponsor approvals, leaving many in custody or facing deportation to unsafe situations