When Rex Tillerson joined the cabinet as secretary of state, he was given a guarantee he would have some autonomy in his job. Tillerson, however, hit some aides of President Donald Trump who allegedly are putting in place in the Department of State stricter Immigration Policies and reform.
The New York Daily News reported that last week it was stephen miller, a White House aide, who clashed with Tillerson. Their source of conflict is how Miller, the chief speechwriter of Trump during the campaign and behind the travel ban, reportedly pushed the secretary to be tougher on immigration.
Restricting refugees into the U.S.
One area that Miller is working on is placing more restrictions on the entry of refugees into the U.S. He wants to restrict even forms of legal immigration, according to Politico. Miller is working closely with two senators on bills to reduce sharply legal forms of immigration.
Tillerson, the former CEO of ExxonMobil, claimed that Trump promised him autonomy in running the state department. He loves to remind other officials, especially the younger Trump aides like Miller of the President’s promise.
There was no shouting match, however, with Miller. Tillerson, though, had a yelling session with Johnny DeStefano, the head of presidential personnel. The yelling took place at the White House on the same day that the secretary had an argument with Miller, but his argument with DeStefano was on another issue.
Minor victory for Miller
On Monday, Miller’s push for tighter immigration rules got the nod from the Supreme Court. The High Court allowed the rejection of immigration applicants from the six nations that are Muslim-majority if they do not have a “bona fide” relationship in the U.S.
Another form of meddling that Tillerson could be battling is the plan by the White House to remove control of the Bureau of Consular Affairs from the State Department to the Department of Homeland Security.
Also being considered is the transfer of the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration to Homeland. The two agencies are among the largest immigration arms of the U.S. government. Among their functions are to release passports and vet refugees.
The transfer of these two agencies was part of a memo submitted by the Domestic Policy Council to the White House Office of Management and Budget.
It is part of the executive order that Trump issued in March to reorganize the Trump government. Anne Richard, head of the Bureau of Population Refugees and Migration during the term of President Barack Obama, said it would be a huge mistake to transfer the bureau to Homeland.
