Stephen Miller reportedly undermined Kirstjen Nielsen by leaking embarrassing border statistics to a conservative-leaning publication
- White House senior adviser Stephen Miller leaked unflattering statistics from US-Mexico border in an effort to denigrate Homeland Security secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, according to a Quartz report citing unnamed former agency officials.
- Miller disclosed the increasing number of migrants claiming asylum and border detentions to the Washington Examiner, a conservative-leaning news publication.
- Miller did not respond to a request for comment.
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White House senior adviser Stephen Miller leaked unflattering statistics on asylum seekers and detentions at the US-Mexico border in an effort to denigrate Homeland Security secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, according to unnamed former Homeland Security officials cited in a Quartz report.
Miller reportedly disclosed the increasing number of migrants claiming asylum and border detentions to the Washington Examiner, a conservative-leaning news publication, Quartz's sources said, adding that he would then print the story and share it with President Donald Trump.
Neither Miller nor the Department of Homeland Security responded to INSIDER's request for comment on Tuesday.
Nielsen has been the face of Trump's controversial immigration policies while Miller worked on the sidelines as his hardline immigration adviser. Former Attorney General Jeff Sessions, a Trump appointee, announced a "zero-tolerance" immigration policy in April 2018 that spurred detentions and family separations at the US-Mexico border.
Nielsen and Miller are believed to have been at odds with regard to the president's desires concerning immigration policy.
After a meeting with Trump on Sunday, Nielsen announced it was "the right time for me to step aside" and offered her resignation. She did not intend to resign prior to her meeting, senior White House officials said to The Washington Post.
Sensitive leaks from within the Trump administration have been described as "out of control," according to a New York Times report on the book, "Team of Vipers" which casts Trump's inner circle as self-interested and duplicitous.
Trump has continued to raise his voice about what he views as a crisis at the US-Mexico border. The president recently threatened to close the border completely, sparking legal challenges and economic concerns. Trump later backed down from that threat.