As news coverage has been dominated by the chaos
in the Senate and the White House,
one senior official in the Trump administration
has been quietly getting away
with implementing immigration policies
that could change the very fabric of our society.
This is "The Check-In."
[ Cheers and applause ]
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From anonymous op-eds to books detailing the horrors
of working in the Trump administration,
we're led to believe that pretty much everyone in the White House
is miserable, but that's not the case for everyone.
Because you might remember Trump's senior policy adviser,
Stephen Miller, right?
[ Thunder crashes ]
[ Laughter ]
Miller is the architect
of everything from the Muslim travel ban
to separating children from their parents at the border.
Now, Miller has been avoiding TV cameras lately,
but when he first got into the White House,
he wasn't shy about publicly defending
his horrendous views on immigration.
And just watch him put the "offensive" in charm offensive.
-In the end, the powers of the President of the United States
will be reaffirmed,
and the whole world will see clearly and unmistakably,
and it's a message I want the world to hear today,
that this country will protect its borders.
I would happen to know better than you would, Jake,
about how the travel ban was written.
And I just want to say...
Jim, that is one of the most outrageous, insulting,
ignorant, and foolish things you've ever said.
-Man, imagine being that fired up about deporting people.
"Jim, I would fight you right now if I weren't rock-hard
and forced to stand behind this podium!"
[ Laughter ]
But getting off on publicly attacking illegal immigrants
wasn't enough for Miller.
He's now more quietly going after legal immigrants, as well.
Miller was behind an egregious new proposal
that would make it more difficult for legal immigrants
who have used any kind of public assistance --
things like food stamps or housing vouchers --
to get a green card or obtain citizenship in the U.S.
This has already resulted in some immigrants
turning down government help to buy infant formula
and healthy food for their young children.
Although, if you listen to Fox News,
this whole thing isn't Trump's fault at all.
-It says that immigrants are already turning down
government subsidies to help buy staple foods and infant formula
for fear that it could bar them from receiving a green card.
Is that something that's really happening?
Or is that not true?
-If it's happening, it's happening, because, again,
the far-left media is misinforming the American people.
They want people to panic.
They want the American people to think this president
is racist and he's against poor people.
-The left doesn't exactly
have to do anything to make Trump sound more racist.
"Okay, guys, he called for the execution
of the Central Park Five,
he was sued for not renting to black people,
he called NFL players sons of bitches,
but America still thinks he's a one-man Benetton ad,
so...any ideas?"
But that's why Trump gets along so well
with people like Stephen Miller,
because they're both racist and hate poor people,
especially the most vulnerable people in the world,
like refugees.
Just a few weeks ago, the administration said
they would be limiting the number of refugees
the United States would accept next year to a mere 30,000,
which is a record low.
And, of course, Miller had his tentacles
all over this decision, as well.
-The Trump administration plans to slash
the number of refugees allowed into the U.S.
to just 30,000...
at a time when the U.N. is saying the crisis of refugees,
the surge in the number of refugees around the world
is unprecedented.
-It is considered a really egregious setback
in terms of national security and foreign policy.
-If Secretary Mattis and Secretary Pompeo
aren't driving the policy, who is?
-Stephen Miller. He's 33 years old.
I'm sorry. -No, no.
[ Laughter ]
-No, it is hilarious that that guy is 33.
[ Laughter ]
Even his hair doesn't want to be associated with him.
[ Laughter ]
Now, whether it comes to limiting...
whether it comes to limiting the number of refugees
or installing a zero-tolerance policy
for immigrants crossing the border,
Miller and the administration are defending
these misguided policies by claiming
that they're focused on putting Americans first.
So, how's that going?
-Cancer research is taking a hit because of immigration costs.
CNN is reporting the Trump administration
is moving $260 million
from cancer research, HIV/Aids, and other programs
to cover the cost of housing
undocumented immigrant children in custody.
New policies of holding kids longer and reuniting them later
are one of the reasons for the move.
-So, in order to pay for detention camps for children,
we're cutting back on cancer research.
Now, you may be asking yourself,
"Why couldn't they take the money from somewhere else?"
Well, it's difficult to make that decision
because President Trump just has
too many good ideas that need funding.
-What are we going to do? Space Force!
[ Laughter ]
So, how is Trump's favorite ghoul, Stephen Miller,
able to get away with his takeover of immigration policy?
Current and former administration officials say
Miller has been blocking opponents from key meetings,
restricting the flow of information
and inserting his allies in key positions.
"Stephen just had this aura about him.
People realized at that point this guy, Stephen,
is the president of immigration."
I don't think that's an aura around Stephen Miller.
It's just the formaldehyde evaporating.
[ Laughter ]
And things have gotten so bad
that Miller's own childhood rabbi
is now warning people about Miller's immigration policies.
-The West L.A. childhood rabbi
of presidential aide Stephen Miller
is blasting his former student
for supporting the Trump immigration agenda.
Rabbi Neil Comess-Daniels lashed out during his sermon
in Santa Monica marking the Jewish new year.
-There were groans when Rabbi Comess-Daniels
began his sermon reading a letter to Stephen Miller.
-To Stephen Miller...
[ Congregation groans ]
...senior advisor to the President.
It's completely untenable.
It is not ethical.
Um, and it's cruel.
-To be fair, those two have been at odds since the bris.
-"Rabbi, stop! That's his head!"
[ Laughter ]
Even Miller's own uncle has come out publicly
to draw attention to how hypocritical and heinous
Miller's views on immigration are.
-Our family history is entirely dependent upon the fact
that our family was able to escape from a terrible situation
in what is now the country of Belarus.
Put it simply, had we not been able to enter America
when we did, Stephen Miller would never exist.
-That's right. Stephen Miller is a descendant of immigrants.
Not just immigrants, but refugees.
I don't know what kind of brain disease
causes that level of self-hatred,
but we've probably diverted money from it
to pay for detention camps for children.
This has been "The Check-In."
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